Clemson. As soon as you arrive to campus, you are surrounded by beauty. Students get to walk through a piece of history when going to class, which is never more than a 15 minute walk. We earned the reputation of being in the top 20 national public universities, but most importantly, we have a reputation for our friendly atmosphere.
Just this past football season, the Louisville Cardinals came to Death Valley for the first time. Though the game ended in a Tiger win, visitors were not met with arrogance. Clemson was revered as showing true Southern hospitality by Louisville fans. We showed an impressive tailgating atmosphere, while keeping it classy.
This being said, Clemson would not be where it is today without the support of its student body, our Clemson family. It is important for students to hold a mutual respect for each other to keep our great reputation alive.
This year, Clemson has been the center of several discussions regarding the culture of Greek Life.
One controversy in particular surrounding a gang-themed off campus party, sparked friction among races at Clemson before Winter Break. A student organization — A Coalition of Concerned Students — felt this event, among other things that occur at Clemson, showed a lack of respect for our diverse student body.
On the first day of class this semester, the Coalition of Concerned Students marched to Sikes Hall with a list of grievances to President Clements. One of the grievances (each of which must be formally addressed by the next Board of Trustees meeting) is focused on renaming Tillman Hall on campus.
Tillman Hall, the site of Clemson's bell tower and one of our precious landmarks, is named after Benjamin Tillman. Tillman served as Governor of South Carolina and US Senator and was a key founder of Clemson University. "Pitchfork Ben" was also known for being an outspoken racist and promotor of white supremacy.
The inequality that Tillman promoted raised controversy surrounding the name of Tillman Hall, not only at Clemson, but at Winthrop as well. Some students felt that the name of such important structures embodies its belief as a university, and having it named after Tillman shows disrespect to our culture.
Though there are students upset at the lack of education among its population, there are several buildings at Clemson that are named after known slave-owners. If you have ever been to Fort Hill at Clemson, then you know that Thomas Green Clemson owned slaves for his plantation. Changing the name of one building warrants the change of many things at our university, which could be a good or bad thing.
Another thing to keep in mind is why Winthrop University did not change Tillman Hall's name this past year, despite concerns about the school;s reputation. In legal respects, it is against the law in South Carolina to change the name of any structure dedicated to a historic person or historic event. Because of this and other student opinions, the name remained.
It is uncertain what will happen to the name of Tillman Hall. What is certain is what Clemson provides to students: the freedom to learn and the freedom to our opinions. In order to remain the same friendly atmosphere we all love, we must respect each other's values — Greek or not.
