President Thrasher’s Decision Letter to Campus Community
Panel Recommendations for B.K. Roberts Hall, Francis Eppes Hall, and the Francis Eppes Statue
Florida State University President John Thrasher announced the creation of a panel of university students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni to examine and make recommendations on current university policies concerning campus names and markers, including statues and other recognitions.
The creation of the panel follows Thrasher’s condemnation of August’s violent acts by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va., and his pledge to the FSU community to protect free speech while ensuring the safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff.
The panel is charged with researching the issues, meeting and engaging with university constituencies to seek input and feedback, determining criteria for appropriate naming policies and making any other recommendations deemed necessary.
Panel Priorities
Based on public input thus far, President Thrasher recently asked the panel to prioritize B.K. Roberts Hall, Francis Eppes Hall, and the Eppes statue as we continue our work, recognizing that there are members of our community who feel very passionately about these campus landmarks in particular. He also requested that the panel submit its recommendations on these items first before returning their focus to the rest of their charge.
As the panel moves forward to consider these three priorities, we are seeking input from the entire university community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of our local community. We recently hosted a series of five Town Hall forums, where speakers were asked to consider and provide feedback on the following:
With regard to B.K. Roberts Hall, the Francis Eppes Hall, and the Francis Eppes statue:
- What impact have these landmarks had on you and/or others? What message do you and/or others think these landmarks are communicating?
- What role should university history play in our current day campus environment?
- What do you think should be done and why (i.e., suggestions for solutions)? Are there additional options besides removing and/or renaming?
The minutes from the aforementioned Town Hall meetings are posted to the left. If you were unable to attend one of forums, we invite you to share your valuable feedback by using the comment box provided below. Your input is important to ensure that the Panel makes a recommendation that is inclusive of the feedback provided by our university community.
FSU Community Input and Feedback
University Constituencies are encouraged to submit input and feedback for the panel’s consideration by using the space provided below. All submissions will remain anonymous, however, we ask that you please review the various options made available in the drop-down menu, and select the one that most accurately describes your role within the FSU community.
