Some Indiana University students want the college to rename Jordan Hall, because of the controversial views of its namesake.
IU named the building after David Starr Jordan, a professor, scienctist and former president of the university. While he made significant contributions to IU, Jordan was also a proponent of eugenics. That science involves controlling breeding by removing those with undesirable genetics from the breeding pool.
Jordan’s research and writings aided in Indiana and California passing sterilization laws, and is said to have been a mold for the Nazi’s “Final Solution”.
Senior Lecturer of the College of Arts and Sciences and Adjunct Associate Professor of History Carl Weinberg says those views sparked discussion among students about whether the university should rename Jordan Hall.
"I do think that any decision to rename the building would have to be undertaken only after some serious investigation and discussion of, not just [Jordan’s] views, but the role he played at IU," Weinberg says.
IU recently removed Ora Wildermuth’s name from a building on its Bloomington campus because the judge opposed racial integration.
