Case Study: Why do Universities Change their Names?
In universities across the country, the war rages on between keeping the names that hold part of the history of the school, or changing for something fresher or newer. Universities may opt to change their names for a variety of reasons including distancing from inappropriate or outdated associations, enhancing marketability, reflecting changes in their academic status or mission, or fostering stronger connections with their student and alumni communities. This is often driven by strategic needs such as appealing to broader global audiences, avoiding negative connotations that might affect student recruitment, or modernizing the brand to reflect current academic offerings and societal values. In an analytical study conducted by the University of Virginia of forty-eight universities who changed their names, it was deduced that the many diverse reasons for name changes all ultimately aim to boost enrollment, arguably one of the most elementary necessities to their continued existence (College and University Name Change, Spencer D. Cole).
Arcadia University’s change from Beaver College exemplifies a name change motivated by strategic branding and digital age considerations. Previously known as Beaver College, the institution opted for a name change to better represent its global educational mission and resolve the ambiguities and misperceptions encountered online due to its former name. The name change process was comprehensive and involved significant community input, including surveys and focus groups of alumni, faculty, staff, and students. Legal reviews and market tests were conducted to ensure the new name was unique and viable. Arcadia, a name inspired by the idyllic region of ancient Greece known for its pastoral peace and scholarly pursuits, was chosen to symbolize the university’s commitment to learning and intellectual freedom. The renaming was part of a broader strategic move to enhance the university's reputation and marketability, aligning with its status as a university with a robust graduate program and a strong international focus. The transition was officially marked with a ceremony on July 16, 2001, celebrating Arcadia's new beginning as a global educational institution (Beaver College to Arcadia University, Arcadia University History).
In June 2021, The Chronicle of Higher Education, took a look at two particular case studies of American universities considering changing their names: Dixie University, Washington and Lee's University. Both universities were considering changing their name for one reason - distancing themselves from a lackluster, now politically-incorrect, past.
Dixie University, located in Utah, was itself named after the nickname "Dixie" given to the region of southern Utah once it began to produce cotton in the mid-1800s (The Confederate Connections of Dixie State University, Makoto Hunter). The name began to take off when the settlers residing in "Dixie" began to sympathize with the name and largely use it when talking about themselves (as in, "Dixie" settlers"), however the name's origins in Southern cotton production also invoked ties to a much darker topic in American history - slavery, and the American Confederacy that promoted it. Later, in 1911, the junior college version of the school was established as Dixie Academy, which later became Dixie Normal College, Dixie College, and then Dixie University. Since its inception, the school was home to many pro-Confederate students and sentiments, which led to students wearing blackface, organizing "slave days," mock slave auctions, and Confederate battle flags situated around the campus up to as late as the 1990s.
In a bid to clean up their reputation and start anew, after much discussion, Dixie University exists today as Utah Tech University. However, Washington and Lee University chose a different route, instead choosing to keep their 272-year-old name with ties to confederate general Robert E. Lee - who along with his descendants, are buried on the campus grounds. The student government, along with 80% of the school faculty, voted in favor of the name change, saying that, "the blatant association with Lee was offensive to students and employees of color, and would render the university irrelevant in a rapidly diversifying world."
However, a school alumni group named, "The Generals Redoubt," campaigned strongly against the change and challenged what they considered, "blind conformity with the nationally prevailing political and university culture" (The Chronicle of Higher Education). Many parents - over 200 - also condemned the change and wrote a letter to the Board of Trustees declaring that a name change would, "...[threaten] current financial support and... untold future contributions." They also argued that changing the name would erase the existing qualities of the university when they pled, "We realize that many institutions are feeling enormous pressure to sanitize their histories, but they do so at the peril of erasing what makes their character unique. Don’t let this happen to Washington and Lee."
While in the end choosing to maintain their name (as aforementioned), they did also vote to make a $225 million investment generated through mostly fundraising that would go towards student support and scholarships, while also deciding to make some more figurative changes around the school such as redesigning the university diploma and rechristening the chapel from "Lee Chapel" to "University Chapel." Alison Bell - currently a Professor of Anthropology at the university who was part of the majority of faculty who opposed the change - responded to the decision with a succinct but critical statement: "The loudest voices ... are the people with the deepest pockets" (The Chronicle of Higher Education).