Temporary name sought for Science Building

The soon-to-reopen Science Building at UCCS needs a new name, and campus leaders are hoping it will be temporary.

Brian Burnett, vice chancellor, Administration and Finance, explained why in his report to Faculty Assembly at its May 14 meeting.

"A new name needs to be recommended to the Board of Regents so they can approve it at their June meeting.  That way we can have the signage in place for the building re-dedication," he said.

Renovations are nearly complete, he announced, with the opening of the building and re-dedication ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 19.

Burnett described the name change committee's efforts and the leadership team’s choices of  Centennial Hall, Cimarron Hall, and Pikes Peak Hall as names for the final list.

Burnett explained that having a Science Building and a Science & Engineering Building causes confusion. Throughout the 2009-10 academic year, during renovation work, four Science Building classrooms and the auditorium remained in use. Some students mistakenly thought their classes were in Science & Engineering. The inconvenience to students is one issue, he said, but emergency first responders could lose time if they don’t know the difference between the buildings.

A new, less confusing name is necessary, but campus leaders also hope for a naming gift to provide some funding as well as clarity, he said.

But until that possible naming gift comes about, he said, the building needs a name with some character and heritage reflecting Colorado, similar to Columbine Hall named after the state flower.

Members of the campus community are being asked which of the three names they prefer. They may participate in the on-line survey by May 25 at http://www.uccs.edu/~irpage/surveys.html

"We hope we can replace the temporary name as soon as possible," Burnett said.

Along with the three finalist names, suggestions included Ponderosa Hall, Colorado Hall, Granite Hall, Spruce Hall, El Paso Hall, Lupine Hall and Alchemy Hall.

The renovated building will house Chemistry, Anthropology, and Geography and Environmental Studies Departments as well as classrooms, the Science Learning Center and the Gallery of Contemporary Art. Burnett said plans are already underway for a timely and efficient move-in before the semester begins.

1 Comment on Temporary name sought for Science Building

  1. Come forth all ye creative minds. Ponderosa was a television ranch in Nevada; Colorado Hall makes me dizzy by its blatant simplicity; as a climber, Granite Hall would be great, but pretty much all rock visible from the campus is sandstone, unless you climb up in the North Platte; Spruce Hall, makes me feel I need to clean up my room; El Paso Hall? Have you ever been to El Paso? This name shows Texans our submissive reciprocation for their bequething parts of their new campus virtually nothing even remotely associated with UCCS, CU or Colorado; they might have gone with Garden of the Gods Hall, but no; Lupine Hall at least is appropriately vague, and also a hearty beautiful bloom when it flowers; Alchemy Hall rises as the one clever name anchored by ancient roots of the earliest age of persistent empirical experimentation.
    Best of all, Wisner Hall would make many ponder, research a bit, then learn that Ron Wisner was a true Renaissance thinker. He pursued knowledge for its own sake, from any discipline, just to find out what he might learn. Whatever he learned, he gave away to all. Make this Hall ours. Name it for its inspired pioneers, not parts of other states, flora or fauna; not even historically sweeping, yet pithy, with Alchemy Hall. Anyone attending UCCS would find paths discovered by a mind of infinite curiosity found educational possiblities to show them, then let them seek out their own destinies, a lifelong journey of learning. The “Wiz” of the film, sounds bright and magical to be sure. But that Wizard made all hoping for his magic, find their magic inside themselves. So did Ron Wisner.

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