UH To Rename Calhoun Lofts Resident Hall For 'Sensitivity' Issues

HOUSTON, TX — The University of Houston will rename the upperclassman dorm Calhoun Lofts out of sensitivity to its diverse student population, the school announced in a statement Monday.

The Lofts are named after a street and not John C. Calhoun, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle. The move is being made on the coattails of many cities and universities separating themselves from symbols and figures from the Confederacy and pro-slavery eras.

"While the residence hall was not named in recognition of John C. Calhoun, in the wake of recent events, and out of sensitivity to our diverse student community the university has decided to change the name to University Lofts,” the university said in a statement. “The change will be made as soon as practical."

Calhoun was the seventh vice-president of the United States who was educated at Yale University. His views on slavery were that is wasn't a "necessary evil" but rather a "positive good" for both slaves and slave owners.

Earlier this year Yale, Calhoun's alma mater, announced the renaming of his namesake Calhoun College because of his ties to white supremacy and slavery.

The announcement comes less than 24 hours after the University of Texas at Austin removed Confederate statues from its campus overnight. It also comes on the heels of many universities across America ridding all signs of pro-Confederate symbols.

UH stated the name change will happen "as soon as practical.

Here is the announcement from the university:

"The University of Houston does not have statues, memorials or monuments honoring the Confederate era. Calhoun Lofts were originally named to coincide with the name of the adjacent city street when the university began its aggressive residential expansion in the last decade. While the residence hall was not named in recognition of John C. Calhoun, in the wake of recent events, and out of sensitivity to our diverse student community the university has decided to change the name to University Lofts. The change will be made as soon as practical.”

Caption" Engraved portrait of American politician, former US Vice President John Caldwell Calhoun (1782 - 1850), mid 19th century.

Photo by Stock Montage/Getty Images