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

Authors
Paul E. Olsen, David S. Ciancio
Region
North America
Topic
Ethics & Social Justice
Strategy & General Management
Length
3 pages
Keywords
Business Ethics
Ethical decision-making
cancel culture
and breach of contract
Journal of Critical Incidents
Copyright Holder
Society for Case Research
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Undergraduate Students

This critical incident discusses a building naming controversy faced by Middlebury College President Laurie Patton. In response to concerns about former Vermont Governor John Abner Mead’s support of eugenics in Vermont in 1912, Patton and Middlebury College’s Board of Trustees changed the name of Mead Chapel to Middlebury Chapel in 2021. Middlebury College was then accused of canceling John Mead and was served with a lawsuit claiming breach of contract as Mead had paid for the construction of the campus chapel in exchange for naming it after his family.

Learning Outcomes

In completing this assignment, students should be able to: 

1. Discuss the ethical issues in naming/renaming buildings. 

2. Apply ethical decision-making to naming or renaming a building. 

3. Explain and identify breach of contract. 

4. Define cancel culture and defend when canceling is and is not appropriate.