The north half of the Gateway Academic Complex, known as Gianforte Family Hall, is slated to open next Tuesday at 6 p.m. amid student protests about its controversial name and the larger issues it represents.
Way back in 2017, alumnus Greg Gianforte donated $10 million to the school while also pledging a second $10 million if the school would name a building after him and acknowledge his parents. As soon as the school announced the name, then planned to be the Gianforte Academic Center, there was immediate backlash from students. Students were upset because of controversial views Gianforte has expressed in the past against the LBGTQ+ community, and the backlash only intensified after the future Senator was charged with a misdemeanor for assaulting a reporter in May 2017. In response to the backlash, the Board of Trustees amended the planned name to the Gianforte Family Academic Center in September of that same year. In May 2019, the name was revised again after the Gianforte family pulled its conditional $10 million pledge gift, so the two buildings together would then be called the Gateway Academic Center, and only the north building would be called the Gianforte Family Hall. This renewed criticism from students, who argued that the school now had no obligation to use the controversial name. Since then, no new announcements have been made about the naming of the building.
Students Nasir Montalvo and Eli Trakhtenberg have been the main organizers of the protest, which is planned for the ribbon cutting ceremony at 6 p. m. on December 10, and is being held at the front entrance of the Gianforte Family Hall. When asked why he started organizing the protest to begin with, Montalvo said, “I always knew that there would be some type of gathering, demonstration, or protest once the building came to campus. I feel that there are still pent up emotions there, especially among the queer community. That being said, the administration has made it pretty clear that they aren’t really going to budge. Even less so with a few people out there with signs. So, Eli, Adrian and I decided a coordinated effort would be best.”
As previously mentioned, the organizers feel like the naming of the building is representative of larger issues facing Stevens. When asked why, Montalvo said, “I want to make it especially clear here that the Gianforte Family Hall is only a piece to this puzzle. Think of it as the last straw in a continuing fight for student-centricity. We’re addressing three key areas with this protest: Administrative Transparency and Accountability, Student Wellness, and Campus Climate. Underneath these areas are systemic issues that we have continued to fight for to no avail. Examples include sensitivity trainings, STD/STI testing, furthering Mental Wellness, and much more. GFH is a great example of an issue that has fallen underneath all these three. No matter how administration words it an email or says it in a speech, this building is harmful. It is a clear testament to how much they truly value their community members.”
The organizers have also put together a Solution Proposal to explain their stance in detail. Montalvo summarized it as “A broad overview of student-centricity on campus, and the empty promises Stevens has made to its students in response to this building. There are three subsequent sections addressing our ‘Big Three’ (Administrative Transparency, Student Wellness and Campus Climate). Underneath these three will be stats, facts and testimonials about systemic issues on our campus. Finally, there will be a list of key solutions, with the main asks being to remove the ‘Gianforte Family Hall’ sign and to form a task force in addressing these issues, with very definitive guidelines with what we want to see in terms of student representation and deliverables.”
In a closing statement, the organizers said, “I think it’s very important to mention that this demonstration is not only for people that feel like this building is a stain on our school’s reputation. This is for everyone who feels like Stevens has fallen short on anything that has to do with catering to the needs of students. May it be about how you feel the hack was handled, the way you feel about the housing situation, or the way the school has historically been lacking in the mental health department, then this is an opportunity for you to voice that, and we would love to see you come out and support us so you can have your voice heard.”
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