The building was named after Colonel William Franklin Switzler, editor and publisher of the Missouri Statesman and supporter of the University.

Today the building houses the Department of Communication, Women's and Gender Studies, and the Special Degrees Program.

While the bell originally rang for classes until 1936, it now only rings for Tap Day, the Mizzou 39 ceremony, and to honor the passing of members of the MU family.

In the middle of the silo, a solid wooden structure, which resembles some sort of dumbwaiter device or ladder, also rises to the attic.

The purpose of the silo is still unknown; however, some of the proposed original uses include use as a means of roof access, as part of a heating and cooling system, as a drop tower for physics students, or as an elaborate means of venting chemical work on the lower floors.