Harvard University

Yale dumps ‘master’ title, preserves ‘triggering’ Calhoun name

Yale dumps ‘master’ title, preserves ‘triggering’ Calhoun name

Evan Lips

NEW HAVEN — Yale University will keep the name of a residential college named after a 19th century alumnus and statesman, best known for his vehement defense of slavery, but will eliminate the title of "master" for faculty who live among the students and supervise residential facilities, even though the school's use of the "master" title has zero relationship to slavery.

Last fall, Yale was one of several campuses that erupted in protest over the names of its buildings. At Yale, activists held rallies aimed at convincing administrators to delete references to historical figures, including John C. Calhoun, a 1804 graduate of Yale College, who defended slavery and articulated the legal rationale for state nullification of federal law and secession from the union.

Harvard steps may lead down a thorny path
boston

Harvard steps may lead down a thorny path

Evan Lips

CAMBRIDGE – The latest call by students at Harvard University for the school to purge terms or symbols deemed offensive by a vocal minority raises what could be a confounding issue: How far will the 379-year-old school go to distance itself from historic figures whose actions and social values we would not approve today?

Recently, adults who live in Harvard undergraduate residences, known as Houses, decided to drop the term 'master' from their titles. The these adult leaders, or dorm parents, who were formerly called 'House Masters', are currently working with school administrators to pick a different title to describe their role.  According to a recent Harvard Crimson report, critics argued that the term "master" is evocative of slavery and racism, making the title offensive.

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