Naming suggestions sought for two new residence halls

The University of Oregon will be opening two new residence halls this fall, and you can help name them.

The halls, temporarily called Building B and Building C, are currently under construction at the corner of East 15th Avenue and Agate Street opposite Hayward Field in the space formerly occupied by Walton Hall. They will open this fall.

Students, faculty members, staff and alumni are invited to submit name suggestions, which will go to the New Residence Halls Building Naming Committee. Suggestions are due by 5 p.m. Feb. 23. Committee members are looking for name suggestions that connect with a sense of inclusion, equity, justice and belonging.

“Names mean a lot, convey stories, meaning, values, connection — they build legacies,” said University Housing Director Michael Griffel, who also is the associate vice president for student services and enrollment management. “We are excited to have the opportunity to invite you as a member of the university community to recommend ideas for the names of two new residence halls on the University of Oregon campus that are part of the housing transformation project.”

Submit nominations using an online form.

The committee will follow the Naming of Facilities Policy in selecting its recommendations. For additional guidance on name submissions, view a comprehensive list of current UO building names and a list of current residence hall names, namesakes and naming histories.

The committee will send its recommendations to the president, who will then select a final recommendation for a vote by the University of Oregon Board of Trustees.

The construction of Building B and Building C comprise the second of three phrases of the Hamilton Walton Transformation Project, which included the construction of Unthank Hall and will see the removal of Hamilton Hall. The project got underway in 2019.

Building B will offer a mix of double and triple rooms, all with attached bathrooms and showers, and provide housing for about 700 students.

Building C embodies a new apartment-style residence hall with room for roughly 400 students.  It will have a variety of apartment-living options for returning Ducks that is distinct from their first-year arrangements.

Both DeNorval Unthank Jr. Hall and Kalapuya Ilihi Hall were named in a similar way after the university sought name suggestion from community members. More information can be found on the University Housing website.