The Ward Circle Building, which houses the School of Public Affairs, will now be known as Kerwin Hall in honor of former University President Neil Kerwin's service to AU, the Board of Trustees announced last month.
The decision to rename the building was made on May 18-19 during the last meeting of the Board of Trustees with Kerwin as president.
In a May 23 press release about the results of the meeting, chairman Jack Cassell said the board wanted to honor Kerwin’s “more than four decades of service to American University — as president, provost, dean, alumnus and student.”
The announcement elicited a strong reaction from students on social media, where several students said they “refuse” to accept the new name.
I refuse to accept the renaming of Ward to "Kerwin Hall."
— Mike Silangil (@msilangil91) May 23, 2017
Bump "kerwin hall" long live ward!!!!
— J?? (@j__mulaa) May 23, 2017
Yeah sorry AU but I will NEVER call Ward/ SPA "Kerwin Hall"
— kiely (@kielymarie26) May 23, 2017
Kerwin stepped down from office on May 31 and plans to take a year of sabbatical leave before returning to AU as a faculty member in SPA.
