The "ComCaf" is No More

Late last month it was announced that the dining area in BSC's Campus Center known as the "Commuter Cafeteria" will now be known as "The Bear's Den." The former "Commuter Cafeteria" was renovated by the college and its dining service, Sodexho, over the summer. While Student Affairs had been discussing a name change for the facility for several years, it was college President Dana Mohler-Faria who recently stressed the importance of renaming and encouraged students to take action. Student Trustee Michael "Mickey" Howard was allotted the task and began working with Student Affairs to put a plan into action.

A survey, open to all BSC Students, was posted on the online Involvement Network, which allowed each student to submit up to three name suggestions. The Student Leader Council - a group of student leaders who represent various groups on campus, including commuters, residents, student government, multicultural organizations, and more - assembled to evaluate and vote on the list of name suggestions, narrowing the list down to a final choice that was finally submitted for approval to the college President and Cabinet.

"Our president didn't want some generic name," said Howard. "He wanted something that students came up with and something that was more reflective of our campus."

The new name, "The Bear's Den," was chosen as a way to bring a sense of "innate pride" to the college, according to Howard. The college mascot, the bear, is not frequently seen across campus, and this change should instill a sense of pride within both commuter and resident students. Additional pride should come from the fact that the renaming of the dining facility both began and ended in the hands of the students.

David Ostroth, Vice President of Student Affairs, voiced his thanks to Howard and the students in a student announcements bulletin on January 26th.

But, not all students are satisfied with the naming process or the end result. BSC freshman Michelle Brosseau took to the popular approach of creating a Facebook group to express her frustrations with the change and to provide a forum for her likeminded classmates to join in showing their displeasure. Brosseau did not submit a suggestion to the selection committee. She says she was unaware of the desire to rename her favorite dining hall until finding out the new name had been selected.

"I was actually unaware that the 'ComCaf' was even going to be renamed - most people I talk to were also unaware of the name change," said Brosseau. "If I had known students could submit suggestions I probably would have."

To date, more than 100 students have joined Brosseau's group, "Students Against the New Name of the Commuter Café," and posted their opinions - most stating that they will simply continue to refer to the space by its long-running and popular distinction, "The ComCaf."

"Originally, I had made the Facebook group more as a joke because I thought that 'The Bear's Den' was a ridiculous name," she explained. "I wasn't even aware that so many other people also agreed about the name, and I never had the intention of creating anything that would lead to the renaming process."

Regardless of the noted student opposition, new signs have been ordered and will be posted in and/or around the cafeteria when they are available. Once they [the signs] are in place it appears as if there will be no turning back. For better or worse "The Bear's Den" is here to stay.