LSU President William Tate IV told the Reveille Nov. 23 that he wouldn’t have formed the university’s Building Renaming Committee, the 16-person group created in June 2020 by LSU under former President Thomas Galligan, to evaluate and remove building names tied to racist figures.

Tate said most students don’t know who the buildings are named after, and that the focus of improving diversity and inclusion on campus should be placed elsewhere. He didn’t comment on what the university would do once the committee’s report, which was at one point expected to be finished by September, arrives at his desk.

“I actually would have never started that committee,” Tate said. “But since it’s here, I have to be respectful of the democratic process. So in order to be respectful, I’m gonna have to let them deliberate and give me some set of recommendations.”

Tate said he observed during a bike ride with students that most students don’t know the history behind the names of various campus buildings.

“When you come and tell me you have people who are frustrated, I say to you, ‘Have you actually gone out and asked people do they really even know what these names are?’” Tate said. “Because most don’t, including Middleton, which I was very surprised, given all the things that have been related to that.”

When asked what he would have done instead of forming a renaming committee, Tate said he would have consulted experts on what effects building names with problematic histories have on the community. 

“I probably would have had a conversation with people who really study this, and ask, ‘What are the real implications for having these names?’” Tate said. “I think you’re going to find that a preponderance of people actually don’t even know who most of these folks are.”

Tate said the focus on promoting diversity and inclusion at LSU should be placed elsewhere.

“We have lots of business activities at LSU. Our economic impact is in the billions,” Tate said. “Do we think about who actually has access to supplies and supplier opportunities? Do we have a framework for making sure everyone has an opportunity to be successful?”

Tate also mentioned the importance of having a stronger plan to diversify LSU faculty and graduate programs, and the recent decision to move the Office of Diversity under the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX. 

Political science senior, Black Out LSU lead organizer and member of the Building Renaming Committee Devin Woodson said efforts to rename buildings and other diversity-focused initiatives are not exclusive. 

“It is important that you address the substantial policy initiatives and you go through with those, and that’s what we were doing in Blackout,” Woodson said. “But it’s also important that you exemplify those through symbols. You cannot have a building named after somebody who intentionally oppressed Black people, and then you present that building as part of your LSU system.”

Amid Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S. in Summer 2020, Black Out LSU introduced several diversity initiatives to the university. Part of that list of policies was to rename the Middleton library, which the Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to. 

LSU then agreed to form a 13-person group made up of administration, faculty and students to evaluate building names on campus and deliver a report with suggestions to the university. The committee hasn’t met since March 1 and hasn’t set a formal date to reconvene, according to Woodson. 

Woodson said the group stopped meeting weekly around the time Verge Ausberry, LSU Athletics executive deputy athletic director and member of the renaming committee, was suspended for mishandling a Title IX case.

Woodson said the committee will deliver a report to LSU eventually, but couldn’t give an estimate of when. He said the group is still conducting research on LSU building names, which usually requires extensive research and sourcing. 

“We’re not willing to give up on this,” Woodson said. “I wouldn’t let that happen. The committee members are not gonna let that happen. We will see the building names evaluated on this campus.”

Student body President Javin Bowman echoed Tate’s attitudes toward renaming, saying diversity efforts should be placed elsewhere. 

“While I understand the importance of renaming buildings, tearing down shrines of racism, I believe there are other aspects that can help students of color increase their opportunities,” Bowman said. “Opportunity is what separates students of color and white students.”

For Woodson, the substantial policies to address disparities between students of color and white students, and building renaming efforts should take place simultaneously. 

“People don’t understand the contribution that Black students have given to this university over the years, including student athletes,” Woodson said. “You cannot exist, or succeed at a university here, or anywhere, without Black people.”