Third World Center gets new name to better reflect its mission

By etu on April 15, 2002, 3:36 p.m.

The name of Princeton's Third World Center is being changed to more accurately reflect its mission.

At their April 13 meeting, the University's trustees approved a recommendation to change the name to the Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding, effective July 1. The name honors Fields, a former Princeton dean who was the first African-American to hold such a high-ranking post at an Ivy League school.

Kathleen Deignan, dean of undergraduate students, noted that the center's name change was initiated by students who serve on the its governance board, and that she supported the recommendation along with Heddye Ducree, director of the center.

"Heddye and I have attended the forums and met with the governance board on numerous occasions throughout this process," Deignan said. "I am persuaded that they have been thoughtful, deliberative and inclusive."

Over the past year and a half, the board has explored the name change and solicited feedback from students and alumni. Members have discussed the action in various forums, sent e-mail to interested parties and published an opinion piece in the The Daily Princetonian.

"Essentially, the board believes that the new name will help encourage a more inclusive membership and, consequently, a more robust, diverse program," Deignan said.

The new name is intended to focus on the mission of the center, which was established in 1971 to provide a social, cultural and political environment that reflects the needs and concerns of students of color at the University.

"In light of Dr. Fields' commitment and sustained support of the efforts of the Third World Center and other campus programs, this is a most fitting tribute," said Ducree. "Dr. Fields' name provides a significant link to the past and the struggles of Princeton's minority students. It is with great pride and respect that we remember the courage and sacrifices of alumni who gave unselfishly of themselves to ensure a place and space for students of color."

Fields came to Princeton in 1964 as assistant director of student aid and, in 1968, was promoted to assistant dean of the college. He pioneered policies and practices aimed at increasing the enrollment and retention of African-American and other minority students. He left the University in 1971 to serve as the planning officer at the University of Zambia under a Ford Foundation Fellowship. He later was the principal partner and founder of the African Technical Educational Consultant Service, the administrative officer of Riverside Church in New York City and the associate director of the Bishop Tutu Southern African Refugee Scholarship Fund. He died in 1998.

Contact: Marilyn Marks (609) 258-3601

Related Stories

Fields memoir chronicles career of pioneering administrator .

In his recently published memoir, Carl Fields describes the difficulty of trying to decide whether or not to accept a job at Princeton. It was 1964 and Fields, an African American, had to weigh carefully the prospect of working at a university that had just 12 black undergraduates and four black graduate students. While it was no easy decision to come to Princeton, once here, Fields quickly made an impact and became the first high-level black administrator at an Ivy League school. Reflecting his many contributions to the University, the Carl A.

Four new portraits serve as ‘visible expression of Princeton’ today .

Commissioned portraits of Denny Chin, Carl Fields, Robert Rivers and Alan Turing were unveiled Sept. 20 to the University community.

Princeton recognizes 50 years of community and inclusion .

A series of events honors the 50th anniversary of the Third World Center, now the Carl A. Fields Center, and the Women*s Center, now the Gender + Sexuality Resource Center, for their legacy of community, identity, collaboration and inclusion at Princeton.

Two appointed in dean of undergraduate students office .

Students honored for leadership and service at Class Day .

Members of Princeton University’s Class of 2018 gathered Monday, June 4, to celebrate the end of their undergraduate careers during the Class Day ceremony honoring their achievements and leadership.

Princeton will commission new portraits to update and diversify University collection .

Princeton will commission new portraits of alumni and former faculty and administrators. The expansion of the campus portrait collection is one of several University initiatives to tell Princeton’s history more fully and diversify campus spaces.

Strategic plan calls for 'national model' in diversity leadership .

Carl Fields, for whom Princeton's Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding, is named, wrote in 1968, "The creation of a large cadre of men and women, black and white, with the ability to plan together, work together and understand together can only be accomplished if there is a total kind of commitment on the part of the education institutions to promote this level of leadership." Those closest to the Fields Center are working to renew its commitment to create that kind of understanding.