Members of the ڰ community are invited to submit their ideas for the re-naming of South Hall, formerly known as Slocum Hall.
The building was originally named after former ڰ President William F. Slocum, who retired in 1917 in response to allegations of sexual misconduct.
In Fall 2017, former President Jill Tiefenthaler investigated the allegations and brought the findings to the school’s Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees found “overwhelming and uncontroverted evidence” that Slocum did engage in sexual misconduct and egregious sexual assault while he was the president of ڰ. “Such behavior was reprehensible and is in direct conflict with the mission and values of ڰ,” in 2018.
As a result of the findings, the board voted unanimously to rescind Slocum’s honorary degree and ordered the immediate removal of his name from the residence hall and commons building. The spaces were temporarily re-named “South Hall” and “South Commons.”
In Spring 2018, Tiefenthaler established the Slocum Legacy Committee, which was tasked with providing recommendations for how to best represent Slocum’s legacy at ڰ considering his sexual misconduct.
Among other actions, the committee recommended the removal of Slocum’s quote from the Tiger Trail monument, the removal of his portrait in Palmer Hall, and for Tiefenthaler to engage in a transparent and collaborative process to determine the permanent naming process for South Hall and South Commons. Tiefenthaler accepted the recommendations, and the school began implementing them immediately.
The South Hall Naming Committee, made up of ڰ students, staff, and alumni, met via Zoom in May to discuss the re-naming process. The committee discussed a year-long timeline, as well as how to thoroughly vet name submissions. The committee acknowledged the great importance of the committee’s work being both transparent and understood by the broader community.
Frieda Ekotto ’86 joined the South Hall Naming Committee because she thinks it’s important for her voice to be heard, both as a woman of color and as someone who learned a lot from attending ڰ, she said.
“The thoughtful and well-reasoned decision to re-name South Hall offers us the opportunity to honor someone who is more representative of what ڰ is today and its institutional values,” said Senior Vice President Mike Edmonds.
The re-naming of South Hall falls under ڰ’s major space naming policy, which requires the name to be approved by ڰ’s President, Board of Trustees, and Vice President of Advancement.
After vetting and discussing name submissions from the community, the South Hall Naming Committee will submit a name, possibly multiple names, to President L. Song Richardson, VP of Advancement Mary Ann Graffeo, and the Board of Trustees for final approval.
“I graduated from ڰ in 2011, became an elected member of the Denver Board of Education in 2017, and witnessed student organizers lead the charge to rename their high schools, change their mascots, and demand a more inclusive curriculum. As a multi racial Mexican woman, I am proud that I live in a world where institutions and schools are evolving to better reflect the society we need and deserve,” said Angela Cobián ’11. “As one of the alumni on the Naming Committee, I am proud that my alma mater is one such institution, willing to interrogate Its history and embark on a legacy review process, which will not only recognize the troubling history of the South building’s former namesake; but is also developing a multi-stakeholder approach to re-naming the building. Current and future students will appreciate the College’s commitment to the dynamic and evolving institutional changes required for the highest ethical standards of today.”
South Hall Naming Committee: Mike Edmonds, Phil Swan, Jane Franke, Frieda Ekotto, Ann Rule, Mary Ann Graffeo, and Angela Cobián.
