Major Academic Building Named for Former UB President H. Mebane Turner
June 11, 2015
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
The University of Baltimore unveiled a new name for a major academic building, honoring former UB President H. Mebane Turner, on June 10. In a surprise announcement attended by Turner and UB faculty and staff, members of the University of Baltimore Foundation and friends of the institution, UB President Kurt L. Schmoke unveiled a plaque signifying the building on the north side of Gordon Plaza as the H. Mebane Turner Learning Commons. In addition to the plaque, new lettering will be created for the building's exterior in the coming months.
"Why we are honoring H. Mebane Turner, UB's sixth president, is no surprise or secret," Schmoke told the audience at the start of the ceremony, held in the lobby of the building. "During his remarkable years of service, from 1969 to 2002, it's fair to say that Meb Turner created the University of Baltimore that we know today."
Schmoke gave several examples of growth experienced at the institution as a result of Turner's efforts:
- UB transitioned from a private university to a fully-accredited state university—one that today plays a unique role in one of the most accomplished state systems in the nation.
- The campus footprint expanded from 2.4 acres to 14 acres.
"The focus that UB has on its urban surroundings today as an anchor institution in midtown Baltimore is a direct result of the commitment that Meb Turner had throughout his career," Schmoke added, "to make the University of Baltimore and the City of Baltimore stronger and more connected."
Renaming the building for Turner, who holds president emeritus status at the institution, was the result of a unanimous request of the UB Foundation, with the official approval of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. The building, now a hub for student learning and support activities, originally served as the site of the UB School of Law, which has since moved to a new building on Charles Street.
Turner received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 1954, and earned postgraduate degrees from Union Theological Seminary in 1957 and Teachers College of Columbia University in 1960. He also earned a Doctor of Education degree from American University in 1974. In June 2002, he was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters degree by the National Labor College.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.