On Oct. 5, Dr. Javier F. Cevallos, president of KU announced to the student body via email that the Bell Plaza, located between the Stratton Administration Building and Old Main, would soon be renamed College Hill Memorial Grove. The memorial will, from this point on, be used to commemorate students, faculty and staff that have passed away.
“Last year we rang the bell for the tenth anniversary of September 11th,” President Cevallos said during an interview in his office on Nov. 2, “And I was hoping we could do something like that to remember students and faculty that have passed on.”
President Cevallos first proposed the renaming of Bell Plaza this past summer when he realized there was no such place on campus.
“Many universities have memorial halls,” he said, “I know we have the Alumni Plaza and there are many things in there, but there was no real memorial place on campus.”
The renaming was approved by Kutztown University’s Council of Trustees, which is made up of 11 members, one of which is a student.
“The Council is made up of ten members appointed by the governor,” President Cevallos explained, “They each serve a six year term. I choose a student who then must also be appointed by the governor, and they serve until they graduate.”
President Cevallos says that, while the memorial bell is to remember students, staff and faculty that have passed away over the years, the memorial is for both the university and the community.
“I hope this new memorial place can bring the university and the community closer together,” he said.
As of now, there is no set date as to when the dedication will take place. According to President Cevallos, a plaque is currently being engraved for the bell. Once the plaque is ready, the dedication will take place soon after.
By Mark Rotondo