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George Washington University will withdraw its name “Colonial”, a name intended to honor its namesake, but has long been criticized as a term glorifying colonialism, officials said Wednesday.
In a statement, university officials said the use of the name had divided the community and “could no longer serve its purpose as a unifying name”. Officials said they would continue to use the pseudonym until a new name is introduced, a change expected by the 2023-24 school year.
The announcement comes almost two years after the university set up commissions to consider requests to remove the pseudonym and rename the school’s student center. The building, formerly known as the Cloyd Heck Marvin Center – named after a university president who advocated segregation – was renamed last year.
The name Colonials, introduced in 1926, is a ubiquitous part of the GWU experience. The sports teams are Colonials. Students plan medical appointments at the Colonial Health Center and exchange Colonial Cash for food and laundry services.
Mark C. Ryton, who became interim president in January, praised the university’s “principled” approach to the decision.
“I was impressed by the principled and joint approach of the special committee and it was clear that this process is driven by research and a strong commitment to the community,” Wright said in a statement. “Although some may disagree with the result, this process has determined that changing the pseudonym is the right decision for our university.”
The special commission that recommended the name change includes professors, GWU staff, students, alumni and members of the athletics department, officials said. Experts in the history of the university also took part.
Tanya Vogel, director of athletics, admitted that some people would be disappointed with the decision. “The name is one of the ways our student-athletes, athletic staff and fans build community,” Vogel said.
But, she added, “we see this as a great opportunity to get together, share our experiences and think about what’s important to our GW community as we begin the process of developing the new alias.”
The special commission conducted a study, events at the town hall and a study throughout the university to understand the name problem. The members of the commission found that the graduates are a little more for keeping the term. Current students are inclined to discontinue its use.
“For the supporters, the term refers to those who lived in the colonies, especially those who fought for independence against England and with courage, courage and despite all chances ensured democracy in the United States,” said a report published by a special commission. “For opponents, ‘colonialists’ means colonizers (both here and abroad) and refers to those who stole land from local groups, plundered their resources, killed and expelled local peoples, and enslaved the colonies.
“Extremely offensive”: GW students launch petition to change pseudonym Colonials
The committee determined that the name originated without “careful consideration throughout the university” but “carelessly and accidentally” in the early 20th century. Before the Colonials, the GWU football team was called “Hatchetites”, “Hatchetmen”, “Axemen” and, after the arrival of coach Henry Crum in 1924, “Crummen”, according to the report.
The report notes that some members of the community may have used “colonial” interchangeably with “revolutionary,” but the terms have different meanings for the university’s namesake.
Historians have said Washington has “firmly rejected” the term. It became popular only during the colonial revival of the late 19th and 20th centuries, the report said.
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