The California State Senate and Assembly have approved a name change to University of California Hastings College of Law, the state’s oldest state law school. The new name, University of California College of Law, San Francisco, will take effect after Gov. Gavin Newsom signs the law.
The school was founded by Serranus Hastings in 1878. A law school commission researched the history and concluded that Hastings had participated in the Mendocino war, which was a series of raids that resulted in the death of at least 283 Native Americans in the 1850s.
Last fall, the school’s dean, David Faigman, addressed the issues with Serranus Hastings and the college name after The New York Times published a story titled, “A California Law School Reckons With the Shame of Native Massacres.”
“There is no effort from me or the College to oppose a name change,” Faigman wrote in a letter to his school’s community. “My commitment is to do what we can to bring restorative justice to the Yuki People (also known as N’om, Powe’ N’om, and Wit’uconomom People of Eden Valley and Round Valley) and other Indigenous communities who were affected by Serranus Hastings’ horrific acts. My own understanding of what the College can and should do relative to the Yuki People is evolving.”
In Nov. 2021, the College’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to remove “Hastings” from the college’s name. The commission that researched the school’s history also worked with the Round Valley Indian Tribes (RVIT) and its Yuki Committee for feedback.
Additionally, the school hosted meetings, town halls and events from November 2021 through June 2022 where the community was invited to ask questions and share their opinions on the name. Hundreds of emails and letters were also sent to the school. The opinions showed that:
- 78% supported removing Hastings from the College’s name
- 22% were against a name change.
And of those supporting a name change:
- 67% supported a geographic name
- 26% supported another name or failed to state a preference
- 7% supported a Yuki-language name
Faigman said that the school’s new name embodies the school’s core identity and reflects the preference of students, faculty, staff and alumni. He said that even though they are one step closer to renaming the school, the school still has work to do on restorative justice measures.
“I am excited about the pending name change, which comes at an exciting time in our law school’s history,” he wrote. “The foundation of the College, the heart, the spirit, and the excellence will remain. Thank you for being part of this exciting and important chapter in our school’s history.”
