Students at Michigan State University have launched a campaign to prevent the renaming of the university’s James Madison College, which offers courses on public affairs and international relations. Over 500 students have signed a petition that calls on the university to suspend efforts to rename the college.
According to a report by the College Fix, students at Michigan State University are fighting back against an ongoing effort to rename the James Madison College, a residential community and school of public affairs at the university.
A petition published on Change.org has received over 500 signatures, makes the case that the university is misguided in its efforts to rename the college. The petition highlights Madison’s accomplishments, including his role in drafting the Constitution and his service as the fourth President of the United States.
“The primary writer of the Constitution and fourth President of the United States should be remembered for the good and just things he said, fought for, and achieved,” the petition reads. “His work is a staple of constitutional and political theory curriculum, and within the college his Federalist Papers are required reading and are pivotal to understanding the Constitution and America’s founding.
“Additionally, so much quality education, service, and change has occurred under the college’s current name. James Madison had flaws, as did every human being who has worked to build our great nation. We cannot allow Madison’s flaws to erase the good he did for our country,” the petition finishes.
Some students are concerned that the name changed would adversely impact outcomes for graduates. One alumnus, Noah Sadlier, said that matriculating from the James Madison College at Michigan State University helped graduates find jobs.
“The James Madison College is a name brand for hiring managers in organizations across the political sector,” Sadlier stated. He went on to say that the college’s reputation often helps students get a “foot in the door.”
Breitbart News reported in June that two elementary schools named after George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in Berkeley, California, would be renamed as a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement.
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