A Name is a Name is a Conundrum

By Tracy Whalen, UWFA Secretary

So much lies in a name. The typeface we know as Helvetica started life with the less striking—-and certainly less marketable—-Neue Haas Grotesk. Scientists have given us the Big Bang theory, Nemesis (or Death Star), and Black Hole, names that tap into human neuroses, love of cataclysm, and fascination with annihilation (at a distance, anyway). A form of argument about the value of a discovery, names can make a phenomenon worthy of notice. These values explain in part why we take such care in naming children and anything we hold dear.

Names can also be controversial, especially when they name companies, buildings, or publications. This past January, it was announced that Canada’s history magazine, The Beaver, was changing its name to Canada’s History because spam filters were blocking the possibly suspect title. (In 2001, Beaver College in Pennsylvania changed its name to Arcadia University, in part to address its new university status and in part to put an end to sophomoric jokes.)

Here at the University of Winnipeg, as buildings rise around us, the names of generous donors rise too: the Science Complex and Richardson College for the Environment; McFeetors Hall/Great-West Life Student Residence; the Buhler Centre. John Buhler’s name, seen through a labour union lens, has given some UWFA members pause. As many know, after a long strike (followed by an employer lockout) at Buhler’s Versatile tractor factory in 2000, the Manitoba Labour Board ruled that Buhler had bargained in bad faith with the CAW employees at his plant. This momentous time in Manitoba’s labour history is chronicled in Doug Smith’s Stickin’ to the Union: Local 2224 versus John Buhler. John and Bonnie Buhler have donated four million dollars for construction at 460 Portage Avenue and for student scholarships and will have their name on the building in recognition of such. It’s standard practice in North American universities and colleges to adopt a donor’s name to brand or identify a faculty, building, or school.

But does corporate branding and individual naming have to be the norm? The answer is no. On April 19^th, the Alberta School of Business proved that there are alternatives to naming a building after an individual. A two-year campaign succeeded in raising over 20 million dollars from alumni, students, and core donors and enabled the school to remain The Alberta School of Business. According to the University of Alberta’s Express News, Dean of Business Mike Percy said, “For us, there was never the thought of adopting the name of a single individual …This school is owned by its alumni; it’s owned by the community.”

The Alberta School of Business has pushed back against the corporatization of the university, has collectively raised the necessary funds (during an economic downturn), and has kept its name. It is gratifying to see alternatives in naming practices. Perhaps the day will come when giving a substantial donation anonymously or in the name of the institution will become established and respected practice on our university campuses.