AR-2020-09: Renaming HSC

West Virginia University
The Student Assembly - Student Government Association
Assembly Resolution: AR-2020-09

AN ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION TO RENAME THE ROBERT C. BYRD HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER TO THE PATRICE A. HARRIS HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER

Whereas, The Mission Statement of West Virginia University commits to “creating a diverse and inclusive culture that advances education, healthcare, and prosperity for all by providing access and opportunity” ¹; and,

Whereas, The Vision Statement of West Virginia University advocates “partner[ing] with our communities- both near and far- to bring needed and valued solution to real-life problems within the pillars of education, healthcare and prosperity” ²; and,

Whereas, Ranked as one of the few institutions nationwide that support medical, dental, nursing, and pharmacy care, as well as advanced medical research and education, the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center (HSC), is committed to furthering medical practices while supporting cutting-edge research; and,

Whereas, Robert C. Byrd’s history with the Ku Klux Klan and opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other civil rights issues, although later reversed, does not embody the goals, values, or mission of HSC or its students; and, Whereas, Robert C. Byrd neither attended WVU nor had a career in health sciences; and,

Whereas, Patrice A. Harris, M.D., a psychiatrist from Atlanta, Ga., was elected as the new president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA) in 2019. Dr. Harris received her medical degree from the West Virginia University School of Medicine and completed a psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. She also earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from WVU's Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and a master's degree in counseling psychology from WVU's College of Education and Human Services. She was inducted in 2007 to the West Virginia University Academy of Distinguished Alumni; and,

Whereas, “Harris has diverse experience as a private practicing physician, public health administrator, patient advocate, and physician spokesperson. During her entire career, Dr. Harris has been a leader in organized medicine to ensure the voice of physicians and patients is represented in healthcare transformation. Harris is the first African-American woman to hold the office.” ³; and,

Whereas, Bethany College, a private college in northern WV, recently removed Robert C. Byrd’s name from their Health Center because, “we recognized as a campus that the name of our Robert C. Byrd Health Center created divisiveness and pain for members of Bethany community, both past and present,” ⁴; and,

Whereas, The act of renaming something is a small victory in the pursuit of racial justice. In the words of the proposed namesake, Dr. Patrice Harris, “Our diversity is our source of our strength as we face medicine’s most daunting challenges — from geography to specialty to age and gender. Our uniquely lived experiences shape who we are as people and as physicians.” ⁵; and,

Therefore, be it resolved by the Student Assembly of West Virginia University:

Recommends that the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center and Cancer Research Laboratory be renamed to the Patrice A. Harris Health Sciences Center and Cancer Research Laboratory.

Upon its passage and approval, this bill shall be forwarded to:

• G. Corey Farris, Dean of Students
• Sabrina Cave, Executive Director, Student Enrichment
• Dr. Thanh Le, Director, Student Engagement and Leadership (Advisor)
• Chase Riggs, Student Body President
• Clay B. Marsh, M.D., Vice President and Executive Dean for Health Sciences
• Maryanne Reed, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Tracey Picou, SGA Secretary The Daily Athenaeum The Dominion Post

¹ https://www.wvu.edu/about-wvu/mission

² https://www.wvu.edu/about-wvu/vision

³https://www.wvuf.org/news-publications/news/2019/06/12/dr-patrice-harris-introduced-as-americanmedical-association-president

⁴ https://www.bethanywv.edu/about-bethany/bethany-college-begins-new-chapter/

⁵ http://health.wvu.edu/diversity/#our-latest-action