I wanted to let Mike Harris know that his legacy has not been forgotten

There is a little rumour floating around the Education Centre the powers that be have approved the new Learning Library be named after a former politician. Now it may just be a rumour but the name is contentious enough that one student jumped to action Monday starting a Facebook campaign against the very notion.

Nipissing University student Michael Delvecchio, who started the campaign, says naming the library after former Ontario Premier Mike Harris could cause serious damage to the school's reputation and future recruiting efforts.

“I feel like I was affected by the 'Common Sense Revolution' my high school was closed shortly after Mr Harris was in government,” he explains.

“I experienced the double cohort all through university, I've experienced the cuts to education, I've seen what it has done to rural communities like the community I am from, and I just don't think it represents what Nipissing represents.”

Quick to point out that the former Conservative MPP has helped the school in a number of ways over the years including working on the charter, Delvecchio a graduate student in history says it is not enough to take away the negative impact such a move will have on the future of the institution.

“Mike Harris well I think the history speaks for itself and I don't want to go into the details of it but I don't think the legacy of Mike Harris is what we want the legacy of Nipissing or this Library (to be),” he told BayToday Tuesday.

“This library is the soul of this school and I don't think it's proper to name it after Mike Harris.”

The Facebook page has topped the 1,000 member number in less than two days and Delvecchio says people from all over have been joining the page to have a say both pro and con.

“It hasn't just been students on the Facebook group, it's been alumni and concerned members … also people speaking in favour of it which is a good thing to see that both sides of the issue are represented.”

“I'm very surprised. A lot of the student body much younger then my generation who experienced the strike, remember the strike and the work to rule in high school, so I am pleasantly surprised,” he says of the groundswell of support the page has been getting.

“I'm kind of shocked in a sense and not really sure what to do next. I had three goals in what I wanted to achieve, the first was to let students know what was happening or the rumours that are going around, and I wanted to let the administration know that we do not support this, and I wanted to let Mike Harris know that his legacy has not been forgotten.”

Delvecchio says he didn't want to be the face of the campaign and isn't sure where to go with it next and is open to suggestions and help for other concerned members of the community.

“I'm just wanting to make people aware and I'm looking forward to hearing other peoples views and what other people want to do whatever that may be.”



The university's public relations department released the following joint statement late Tuesday evening:

Nipissing University and Canadore College have no announcement to make regarding the naming of the Learning Library:

The Learning Library is a priority project for students, faculty, staff and the community. As part of the fundraising campaign for the Learning Library, there are a number of naming opportunities at set values, which assist in moving the project forward. Naming opportunities include the naming of individual rooms and floors as well as the facility itself.

Naming opportunities for this or any other project are consistent with the naming policies of the college and the university as approved by their respective Boards.