Despite mounting backlash from students over the namesake of the Von Kleinsmid Center, the nomenclature task force intended to fix problematic names of USC buildings and monuments is only meant to set the rules.
On Friday morning, a DPS patrol officer came across the bust of KleinSmid at the Von KleinSmid Center and noticed what appeared to be a “pink pillowcase” over the bust’s head. Upon closer inspection, the officer saw “rename VKC” written on the pillowcase and a hanging piece of cardboard that read“Nazi,” according to DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle.
“There’s no damage to the statue, so we documented it as what we call a ‘hate incident,’ but it really wasn’t a vandalism because there’s no damage,” Carlisle said.
In March 2018, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) initiated a public forum for students to discuss their concerns over the name “VKC,” according to a USG resolution. By February 2019, the provost office established the Provost Task Force on University Nomenclature. In an official statement, the university explained the task force’s purpose is to establish the principles and procedures on building and monument name assessment.
“We support the free speech rights of all members of our community; however, there are appropriate ways to make concerns known,” according to the university’s statement.
The task force is headed by Paula Cannon, a professor at the Keck School of Medicine, and Winston Crisp, the vice president for student affairs. Three undergraduate student representatives joined the force during the summer. Cannon, who has already worked with three co-chairs, explained the purpose of the task force is to develop a framework for the future, meaning any name changes will not be immediate.
“[Von KleinSmid has] been a catalyst for these conversations and a great motivation,” she said.
Cannon said she is excited to work with Crisp and newly inaugurated President Carol Folt because of their past experience dealing with controversial monuments, as both previously worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. However, it was the controversy surrounding “Silent Sam,” a confederate statue, that ultimately led to Folt stepping down as president at UNC-Chapel Hill.
During Folt’s inauguration on Friday, protesters gathered outside the Von KleinSmid Center. They waved a flag that read “#SilenceSam.” Since then, USC’s Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation came forward as the group of protestors with a video of the protest on Instagram. The post included a statement that said they stand in solidarity with the Silence Sam protestors at UNC-Chapel Hill and elaborated on Folt’s lack of initiative to take down the statue.
The USG representatives have yet to meet with faculty members of the task force. USG Vice President Mahin Tahsin, who is not part of the task force, described the task force as a high-level assessment process.
“I think it kind of brings back the conversation of VKC or any kind of problematic names on campus to the forefront, so I’m sure this nomenclature conversation will be starting up pretty soon again,” she said. “Given that they were kind of in the same time frame regarding similar kind of advocacy initiatives, I could see how one or the other could highlight each.”
The university said there are no updates at this time regarding the vandalized bust.