A sign will be put up in the Memorial Union’s Gold Star Hall in November to suggest the removal of hats and other headwear.

Gold Star Hall, the north entrance to the Memorial Union, has the names of ISU students who lost their lives fighting in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War inscribed into its walls.

The sign will be freestanding and not affixed to any wall, said Richard Reynolds, director of the Memorial Union.

“We’re just trying to suggest to people that Gold Star Hall is a special place commemorating the Iowa Staters who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Reynolds said.

Alumnus Andy Tofilon, former president of the ISU Government of the Student Body, made the suggestion for the sign.

The suggestion was passed by the Memorial Union Board of Directors in March. Tofilon got the idea from visiting another school and seeing a similar sign in that school’s student union.

The suggested wording for the sign is: “If possible, or if you are able, please remove your hat,” Reynolds said.

Tofilon and Reynolds said the sign will be just a friendly reminder, and does not prevent people from wearing any religious head covering. Reynolds said allowances will be made for those who may not be able to remove their head coverings because of religious or cultural backgrounds.

“I’m very conscious of Muslims and other religions and their necessity to wear their hats, and this is not a directed towards them,” Tofilon said. “This is just a reminder of what Gold Star Hall represents.”

Reynolds said students who are in a hurry to get to class and use Gold Star Hall only as a passageway will also not be enforced to remove their hats.

Joseph Campos, junior in Spanish, said he did not think the hat policy was a good idea.

“If they want a place of remembrance, they should have a separate room in the union for people to pay respect, not a hallway where people are just going through to get to some other place,” Campos said.

Greg Lorang, junior in business, said he has stopped to read a newspaper once or twice in the hall.

“I can see why they would want to bring a little reverence to the place,” Lorang said.

“I probably will take my hat off from now on when I’m in the hall.”