Though commonly known as “Rams Head Dining Hall,” or simply “Rams,” the dining hall was named Chase Hall in 2005. Chase Hall was built as a replacement for the Chase One building that had stood as a dining hall in South Campus since 1965.
When Chase One was demolished in 2005 for the construction of two newer campus buildings, the chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Naming University Facilities and Units called for one of the buildings to be named after the demolished building. The motion was approved, but the sign wasn’t put up until 10 years later.
One reason for the name confusion might be that the main entrance to the dining hall is on Rams Head Plaza, across from Rams Head Recreation Center and above Rams Head Parking Deck.
Brandon Thomas, director of communications for UNC’s Auxiliary Services, said he hasn’t heard anyone call the building Chase Hall.
“From what I hear on campus, the people are still used to the name of Rams Head, and that’s what I’ve heard it called personally,” Thomas said.
“From what I have heard from the staff, no one has been calling it Chase Hall.”
The September/October 2014 edition of the Carolina Alumni Review featured a profile on Harry Chase, the namesake of the building and president of the University in the 1920s. James Moeser, who was Chancellor during the construction of Chase Hall, read the article and decided to push to have Chase’s name on the building.
According to UNC Facilities Services, the common and formal name of the building is Chase Dining Hall, though students and workers often forget this.
