What’s in a Name? Middlebury College’s Mead Chapel Controversy

This critical incident discusses a building naming controversy faced by Middlebury College President Laurie Patton. In response to concerns about former Vermont Governor John Mead’s support of eugenics in Vermont, Patton and Middlebury College’s Board of Trustees changed the name of Mead Chapel to Middlebury Chapel. Middlebury College was then accused of “cancelling” John Mead and was met with a lawsuit claiming breach of contract as Mead had paid for construction of the campus chapel in exchange for naming it after his family.