The North Wind

Letter to the Editor — Removal of Luther West’s name is just

October 7, 2022

Several months ago, in a letter to the editor defending Northern Michigan University’s decision to remove Luther West’s name from the physical structure now known only as The Science Building, I issued...

Letter to the Editor — Presentism at NMU: How a respected professor became a villain

Mark D. West • August 31, 2022

The NMU Board of Trustees, and now the NMU Foundation, have sullied the memory of Luther S. West, professor emeritus of biology at NMU from 1938 to 1965. Ignoring decades of dedication to academic research,...

Letter to the Editor—The Luther West I knew

Dorothy Vanerka • February 13, 2022

This is sent with profound sadness and concern over NMU’s hasty decision to erase all traces of Dr. Luther West from it’s campus. As a relative by marriage, I testify to the character of the man I knew for 36 years.

Letter to the Editor—No mistake made removing West’s name from Science Building

Aaron Loudenslager • February 1, 2022

The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees made the right decision when it voted last month to remove Dr. Luther West’s name from the edifice formerly known as West Science—now denominated simply as the Science Building. This action communicates to the general public, and to the NMU community in particular, that the university considers the value of an inclusive, pluralistic society to be a fundamental and paramount one.

Letter to the Editor—In support of Luther West

Carl Anderson • January 20, 2022

I am writing this letter because I believe that I am one of few people alive who knew West well. I grew up with his youngest son and spent as much time at the West house as my own.

Letter to the Editor—Luther West is not blameless

Aaron Loudenslager • December 3, 2021

Doctor Luther West—a former Northern Michigan University biology professor who openly supported the promotion of “conservative eugenic legislation and eugenic administration” in the 1920s—is a wholly “blameless” person. At least, that’s what Philip Niswonger seems to argue in his recent letter to the editor. But his letter to the editor is entirely unconvincing, as it solely consists of a series of nonsensical non sequiturs.

Letter to the Editor—Renaming West Science the wrong call

Philip Niswonger • November 16, 2021

Interim President Kerri Schuiling recently sent out a statement about potentially taking the name of Luther West off of the West Science Building. I believe this to be a shameful act by the university and I hope the committee will reject the name change.

NMU considers name change for West Science after eugenics involvement

Ayanna Allen, Staff Writer • November 4, 2021

After a recent discovery on Luther S. West's past with eugenics, NMU has considered changing West Science to be dedicated to someone that fits NMU's core values.