Dear Members of the Campus Community,

Over the past two years, we have endeavored to build a framework for evaluating and recommending changes to the names of buildings, structures, and other spaces on campus in light of historical legacies that may no longer align with our values as an institution. As part of that process, the university has received a formal petition to consider removing the name “Slater” from the Slater Museum of Natural History. In accordance with the guidelines established by the Policy on the Reconsideration or Removal of Names on University Buildings & University Spaces which was approved by the Board of Trustees at its February 2022 meeting, I write to inform you that we have appointed a review committee to consider this request.

Slater Museum Name Review Committee Members

  • Lorna Hernandez Jarvis, vice president for Institutional Equity and Diversity — co-chair
  • Victor Martin, vice president for University Relations — co-chair
  • Albert Chang-Yoo ’25
  • Lauren Moseman ’23
  • Stacey Weiss, professor, Department of Biology
  • Sam Kigar, assistant professor, Department of Religion, Spirituality, & Society
  • Peter Stanley, manager, Kittredge Gallery
  • Anne Melton, assistant director of University Relations Research
  • Lyle Quasim ’70, Hon.’05, trustee
  • Lisa Woods, chief equity officer, City of Tacoma
  • Nani Vishwanath ’09, chief diversity officer, REI

In the coming months, the Committee will evaluate the request to remove the Slater name from the museum, with the intent to hear from many voices and perspectives to fully understand the history of the name and its impact before submitting a final recommendation to the Office of the President in April 2023. Any recommendation to remove a name from a university building must go forward to the Board of Trustees for approval. I am grateful to the Committee for undertaking this important work and to the entire Puget Sound community for your willingness to thoughtfully engage in a dialogue about our history, traditions, and practices in order to assure an open, equitable, and inclusive learning and working environment.

Please join me in thanking the members of the Committee for their service.

Sincerely,

Isiaah Crawford, Ph.D. | President