HAMPTON, Va. — Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) is renaming Griffin and Wythe Halls, which are connected and function as one building, to Kecoughtan Hall.
VPCC says the name is a tribute to the Kecoughtan tribe, the early settlers of the land where VPCC's Hampton campus sits.
"We will be working to change over the signage and other references to Griffin/Wythe during the spring 2024 semester," said Steven Felker, vice president for Institutional Effectiveness and Transformation. "It will be a gradual process."
The College Board cited the Kecoughtan name being more inclusive, as it acknowledges and honors the original Native American cultures of the Peninsula, according to VPCC.
VPCC says the board also said that by going with Kecoughtan, it sets the tone for futures names which could consist of Powhatan Hall, Paspahegh Hall, or Chickahominy Hall, and it was recommended that a plaque or display be installed in the newly renamed building to provide historical background for the Kecoughtan reference.
Three years ago, the Virginia State Board for Community Colleges asked local college advisory boards to review the appropriateness of the names of their colleges, campuses and facilities.
On July 1 of last year, Thomas Nelson Community College changed it's name to Virginia Peninsula Community College.
After VPCC officials formed the College and Facilities Naming Taskforce to look into the college's name, it began to re-evaluate the names of buildings and facilities on campus, according to VPCC.
It was then determined that Griffin and Wythe Halls, named after contemporaries of Thomas Nelson, should be renamed.
VPCC says the taskforce took a multitude of factors into consideration including not naming buildings after individuals, living or dead, and tying new names to the region's history or geography.
