Student Activities gets new name, student centers still SUB I and SUB II

A temporary sign represents the recent name change for the Office of Student Activities to the Office of Student Involvement.(Adam Sylvain) 
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New and returning GMU students know the names SUB I and SUB II -- maybe because they needed to pick up their mail in SUB II, or perhaps because they had to visit the Health Office in SUB I.

Both of the more than 25-year-old buildings, currently under renovation, represent two active student centers on campus and now also represent a debate over naming.

Coinciding with the current renovations, there have been questions as to whether or not the buildings are getting new names in addition to new looks.

Some university offices and representatives have started to refer to the buildings as the Center for Student Engagement (SUB II) and the Center for Student Success (SUB I).

But those names are merely descriptors used by workers involved with the renovations and offices associated with transfers in both buildings, according to Christine LaPaille, chairperson of the university’s Naming Committee.

“SUB I is still SUB I, and SUB II is still SUB II,” LaPaille said.

“When new buildings or renovations are conducted, descriptive names are often substituted,” LaPaille continued. “This is why SUB II has been referred to as the Center for Student Engagement and SUB I has been dubbed the Center for Student Success. The descriptors are used so that workers have an immediate understanding of what the building is used for and where offices are being relocated.”

The university’s Naming Committee, a group of representatives from all parts of the university including historians, developers, and members of university life, meet to decide on specified names for new and renovated fixtures on campus.

“Formal recommendations on current projects are going to go to the executive counsels, within the next couple weeks, LaPaille said. “Naming proposals can include streets, student buildings, and housing projects.”

LaPaille’s prediction: “SUB I will stay SUB I and significant name changes to current campus buildings are unlikely.”

LaPaille elaborated by saying, “We don’t want to change building names that represent a lot of tradition and history, so we take that all into account.”

Further hints about the possible renaming of the student union buildings came via Twitter on Thursday morning when @MasonBuilding tweeted, “SUB I keeps its name. SUB II likely to be re-named the "HUB". Though H-U-B has no meaning..”

One name change that has occurred recently is in the Office of Student Involvement.

Formerly the Office of Student Activities, the Office of Student Involvement’s new name reflects the office’s mission for the university, said Director Lauren Long.

“Our department has expanded its services and how we work with our students over the years and we felt that we needed a name that reflected our collective work more appropriately,” Long said. “We provide leadership development, organizational advisement, student development, manage risk management of organizations, provide extensive education around a number of topics, as well as provide activities for the campus. Therefore, we selected this name as a stronger reflection of what we do for Mason.”

Once renovations are complete, the Office of Student Involvement will move to SUB II from its current location in SUB I, room 101.