The Naming Committee’s decision to have student groups for people of color have forums separate from the general student body was a smart move on the committee’s behalf.

While the general student body can, of course, offer insight into how the majority of the student body feels about the name of Douglas Hall, students of color can offer much more to the committee. Specifically, students in groups like the NAACP have a stronger connection to issues people of color face and activism for people of color.

These students know and understand the struggles students of color face. They will be able to share that understanding with the committee.

We at The Daily Eastern News believe that giving those students a louder voice in the question of whether the university should rename Douglas Hall is not only helpful to the committee, but necessary to understand how the name effects students of color.

White students cannot fully grasp the gravity of having a building named after a man who believed their race should be enslaved. As a majority-white editorial board we know most of us cannot fully understand the issues people of color face on Eastern’s campus, nor should our voices on the matter carry the same weight as our peers of color.

That is why we hope the Naming Committee takes this opportunity to truly listen to the students who understand the gravity of this issue more than most.