Readers driving by Starin Road and Prince Street recently have probably noticed a new sign on the residence hall that has been known as Starin Hall since 2010.
According to an article in the Royal Purple, “On Saturday, April 2 the UW-Whitewater community gathered in the University Center to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Roger Pulliam through the renaming of Starin Hall to Pulliam Hall. “His influence stretched well beyond the Whitewater community and touched the lives of students of color in this state,” said Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs Artanya Wesley. “He uses an expansive network to expose Black students to high standards of academic excellence, professionalism and giving students critical life skills to lead successful lives. Dr. Pulliam exemplified Black excellence long before it became a hashtag and was popular on social media.”
Opened in 2010, Starin Hall is a 207,900-square-foot residence hall located near the central academic zone of UW-Whitewater’s 400-acre campus. The building holds suite-style units with a 446-bed capacity, two staff offices, one faculty office, and a common kitchen, laundry room and computer lab. It was the first state-owned LEED-certified residence hall in Wisconsin.
The UW System Board of Regents approved the naming resolution at its meeting Thursday, July 8, 2021. The request was previously approved by all of UW-Whitewater’s shared governance groups — Academic Staff Assembly, Faculty Senate, University Staff Council, and Whitewater Student Government.
Pulliam, who passed away in February 2020, had a 60-year career in education in which he showed an unrelenting devotion to representing, including, and advocating for diverse students and educators and promoting the success of his students and community. At UW-Whitewater, he worked in various roles from 1989 to 2018. During his tenure, he served as assistant vice chancellor of academic support services, director of advancement and, most recently, interim chief diversity officer.
Further information regarding Pulliam may be found in an article that was published on The Banner on July 20, 2021.
