The University of Windsor is embarking on a review of the names given to its many buildings around campus.
The Advisory Group on the Naming of University Assets has been formed to take a look at existing building names some may find offensive.
Governance Committee chair Bruce Tucker says many government policies of the past enforced colonialism which no longer aligns with the university's mission and values in the 21st century.
Tucker says this is about moving forward in a positive way.
"The committee wants to make clear its view that it doesn't see any profit in going back and putting individual names or institutions on trial to see if they're worthy of named recognition. The committee's view is to look forward."
He says the advisory group will be reviewing less than a dozen names.
"I don't think we'll be looking at a long list of names, but certainly there will be a number that the names have been with us for some time and will be, I think, the focus of some considerable discussion."
Tucker says buildings named after individuals will be the main focus.
"A principle one being Calhoun, a building at Yale, which was named after a slaveholder and vice president of the Confederacy. I don't think we're going to see something of that order, but any building that's named after an individual we'll review to see that they're in order."
Tucker adds any university assets that need to be renamed should be based on the historical heritage of Southwestern Ontario and those who made significant contributions to the university and region.
The review is underway and a report will be brought back to the university's Board of Governors for further discussion at a future meeting before any final decisions are made.