BSU students, faculty agree to rename Cesar Chavez Lane. These are the new options
Commuters to and from Boise State University will soon see the name of one of its most well-known roadways changed.
Boise State University, with support from students, faculty and staff, has agreed to rename West Cesar Chavez Lane, which runs next to the Boise River Greenbelt, after an investigation by the New York Times “raised serious allegations” against the prominent labor rights leader, according to emails from the university.
It’s one of many roadways, monuments and holidays that have been renamed throughout the country since the sexual abuse allegations against the now disgraced farmworker rights icon surfaced. Chavez, one of the most revered figures in the Latino civil rights movement, co-founded what is now the United Farm Workers, a labor union for farmworkers in America.
The exact name for the roadway hasn’t been decided, but three options — Campus Lane, Friendship Lane and Peregrine Lane — will be submitted to the county, then the city, for vetting and approval, Boise State announced Monday. Two of the names, Campus Lane and Peregrine Lane, were put forward by the university, while Friendship Lane was suggested by students, faculty and staff.
“We recognize that discussions about renaming spaces dedicated to historical figures and movements can be deeply personal and complex, particularly when new information comes to light that challenges our understanding of those we have chosen to honor,” the university wrote in an email to its staff and students.
Two women, who were girls in the 1970s, detailed to the New York Times the yearslong sexual abuse they faced at the hands of a then-middle-aged Chavez. As a part of its investigation, published in March, the Times said it had uncovered “extensive evidence” to support the women’s accusations along with those raised by several other women.
He was also accused of sexually assaulting Dolores Huerta, another leader in the labor rights movement who helped co-found the United Farm Workers.
“In response to these allegations, university leadership will seek input from the campus community regarding a potential name change for this campus road,” Boise State said in an email in March. “... In consideration of that history, the university is committed to gathering campus feedback before making any determination on a name change.”
Of the nearly 2,500 students and staff members who completed a survey on whether to rename the road, the majority supported the change, Boise State announced in its email Monday.
The renaming process is expected to take four to six weeks, the email said.
