Content Warning: racial slur, racialized discrimination

Take a pledge to refrain from using the term “Coffman Memorial Union”and instead say “The Union”, “Student Union”, or “Memorial Union.” Together, we can change our campus culture by no longer commemorating President Coffman, who has a deeply problematic legacy, in our speech.
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Background

“Housing of Negro students in Pioneer Hall [...] would not be conducive to their best interests, nor to the interests of the other students who may be residing there.”
President Lotus D. Coffman wrote these words on behalf of the Board of Regents when he actively refused to desegregate Pioneer hall and instead upheld a racist and narrow vision of the University’s future. Find out more about President Coffman’s legacy here.  

We, the University of Minnesota community, must hold our institution accountable to its mission of serving all communities on campus and beyond in an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and intolerance.

Memorial Union is one of the most vibrant buildings on our campus, hosting eight of the University’s multicultural groups on 2nd floor, receiving a foot traffic count of 77,107 in any given week, and being the center of student life on the Minneapolis campus.

However, the presence of President Coffman’s name on our student union appears to contradict the University’s message that “we all belong here.” By honoring a former President who actively worked to create division and hierarchies among students,  the naming of our student union creates an unwelcoming campus environment.

Action

It’s time to confront the difficult history trailing behind the University of Minnesota.  It’s time to advocate for those that lost their voices during President Coffman’s administration. It’s time to take action into our own hands, to collectively stand up to injustice, to represent our values, and to make the University of Minnesota a home for all it’s students, present and future, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

We urge you to join our efforts and actively pledge to refrain from using the term “Coffman Memorial Union” and instead say “The Union”, “Student Union”, or “Memorial Union.” Together, we can change our campus culture by no longer commemorating President Coffman, who has a deeply problematic legacy, in our speech.

Read MSA’s Spring 2018 Resolution for more information here.