Faculty of Law Commitment to Consideration of Renaming Building

June 29th, 2020

Kingston, ON – Last week, Queen’s University Faculty of Law committed to reviewing the name of Sir John A. MacDonald Hall. The Alma Mater Society would like to acknowledge the importance of this commitment.

The Society recognizes that we, as well as Queen’s University, must address the systemic racism that is ever-present within this institution.  

The renaming of a building on our campus is just the beginning step needed to be taken in order to ensure all students feel welcomed and supported on our campus. The AMS is committed to continuing advocacy efforts for marginalized and equity-seeking students. We will actively engage in this consultation process. 

We encourage the University and campus stakeholders to consider how the name of this building may negatively affect student’s perceptions of their time at Queen’s throughout this review process, and to acknowledge the significance of this necessary change.  

If you need support at this time please consult the following resources: 

EmpowerMe  
Empower Me is a 24/7 phone service for crisis situations and scheduled sessions that allows students to connect with qualified counselors, consultants, and life coaches for a variety of issues. The password required to access the service is studentcare.  

Good2Talk 
Good2Talk is a free confidential mental health helpline.   

Queen’s University Equity Services  

Queen’s University Human Rights 

Student Wellness Services  

Telephone Aid Line Kingston 
TALK is a confidential, anonymous, and non-judgemental volunteer-based support service.  

Queen’s Equity, Diversity, and Anti-Racism Resources  

Queen’s Equity, Diversity, and Anti-Racism Resources  

Peer Support Centre (PSC) 

PSC x CARED: Peer-Based Support for BIPOC Students 
psccared@ams.queensu.ca 

Social Issues Commission of the AMS 
social.issues@ams.queensu.ca 

Please direct all media inquiries to Patrice Oliveira, AMS Director of Communications, at communications@ams.queensu.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
Alma Mater Society (AMS) – //www.myams.org
The central undergraduate student government at Queen’s University, the AMS represents over 18,000 students and is the oldest student government in Canada. There are over 1,000 student volunteers and 700 paid staff.