Naming center after Dobbins duo appropriate

Naming buildings or portions of a facility is not a new concept for academic institutions, and Southeast Missouri State University has its share of buildings named after influential people who made their mark on the university.

This is the case when an institution honors someone for their support, monetarily or otherwise. The action also serves as a historical reference.

The university's board of regents made it official last month to name the River Campus Center after Dr. Ken Dobbins and his wife Jeanine Larson Dobbins. The dance studio, located in the River Campus, was previously named for the Dobbinses.

The center is a 90,000-square-foot building that provides living space for students, a cafeteria and practice rooms and is adjacent to the River Campus.

Dobbins announced his retirement in September and this month begins his final semester as the university president, a position he has held since 1999.

The River Campus and the center were a significant undertaking for the university and something on which the president spent considerable energy to help develop. His leadership through the project helped bring it to fruition. Today, it's a jewel for the university and Cape Girardeau as many performances are held in its auditoriums each year.

The board of regents made a good decision to name the center after the university's first couple.