Mayor Wants Name Of UNC-Charlotte Changed

[cityboi]

Mayor Wants Name Of UNC-Charlotte Changed

Students Like Current Name

POSTED: 11:06 AM EST December 16, 2003

UPDATED: 11:44 AM EST December 16, 2003

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory said the city could benefit if the University of North Carolina-Charlotte was renamed.

The mayor said it would help recruiting business if the school was called the University of Charlotte.

He said too few people now know that Charlotte is home to a large public university that could train workers and conduct research.

He also said it's easy to confuse UNC-Charlotte with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

But students at Charlotte's university said they like the name the way it is. Some 70 percent opposed a change in a recent poll.

UNC-Charlotte Chancellor Jim Woodward said he understands the mayor's argument. But the chancellor said he has more pressing business, like lobbying the Legislature for a $35 million bioinformatics center.

[Brickhead]

I've noticed that for the last couple of years, when VCU or University of Richmond plays UNCC, our newspaper always lists the school simply as "Charlotte", probably because when we hear UNC we always think Chapel Hill.

[cityboi]

Lets see, theres

UNC- at Chapel Hill

UNC- at Greensboro

UNC- at Charlotte

UNC- at Asheville

UNC- at Wilmington

UNC- at Pembroke.

UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Greensboro are the oldest. UNC-Charlotte and UNC-Pembroke are the newest.

North Carolina has 6 UNC schools. thats a pretty big number compared to many states. I think South Carolina has 4 USC schools

USC- at Columbia

USC- at Spartanburg

USC- at Sumter

USC- at Charleston

[hauntedheadnc]

And don't forget Winston-Salem State, Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, Western Carolina, Appalachian State, Eastern Carolina, Greensboro A and T, and NC State -- which are also all part of the NC state university system.

[monsoon]

[turlough]

marc i'll get u some pics but the one in sumter is quite large and in 2005 it will become a 4 year school being the only other campus like that under the USC name

[49er]

isnt the difference the fact that USC branch schools are just that - branches of USC? UNC schools are separate entities and part of the UNC system. I used to get tired of telling people that I didnt attend a branch of UNC Chapel Hill.

[monsoon]

[uptownliving]

Don't forget Clemson University.

[49er]

as long as i get a new diploma I'm fine with it. Maybe a sticker than covers up UNC Charlotte with University of Charlotte.

[kickazzz2000]

Don't forget Clemson University.

klimpsun

[BrandonTO416]

I actually disagree with this proposal. UNC Charlotte is a name that is recognized and people know what you are talking about outside NC especially.

University of Charlotte would cause the school to have an identity lapse for a number of years. People would be confused for almost a generation I bet.

Then again - what do I know. Memphis State University renamed itself the "University of Memphis" in the early 90's and ever since has underwent major changes and now is one of the premiere research universities in the southeast thanks to new additions. I went to UofM for a while...

As long as the school focuses on ACADEMICS and not sports - it should be a good institution of learning regardless.

[monsoon]

[Spartan]

The Citadel is State supported... thats why they had all that controversey about letting girls in back in the 90s.

USC Spartanburg is the second largest school in the USC system it is still small in comparison, but with about 4300 students our previous President Palms thought it could be a stand alone university and it was almost cut out of the loop. Sorensen is trying to re-integrate it though.

I think it is the only school in the USC system to offer graduate degrees. USC Aiken might.

Only USCS and USC-Aiken are currently 4 years. USC- Sumter might get 4 year status if a current bill proposal is not found unconstitutional by the courts.

People dont get USCS confused with USC-Sumter too much. I suspect its becuase USCS was first, Sumter came later.

UNCC shouldnt be confused with UNC Chapel Hill....

I know in SC when you say "I go to USC" or "Carolina" people know its in Columbia.

I assume that in NC when you say "I go to UNC" or "Carolina" people know its in Chapel Hill. I know if I went there that nobody would be confused about it... but if I were to say i go to UNCC then people would think its in Charlotte.

[monsoon]

[BobbyDav]

It was Charlotte College till the 60's or 70's, during the nearly three decades of expansion in the UNC system. The alumns back then were bitterly opposed to changing the name to UNCC (irony). Older almumni from the college's initial years as UNCC generally seem to like the change back to the older name. I don't know if it will happen but I think if it did it would eventually help the city and the University's name recognition. For now I think it could confuse people and it could modestly disturb some of the students and alumni. It could hurt the Universitie's image since it will no longer be discernable as a part of the UNC-system to the naked eye. The UNC system is after all probably one of the the best fully integrated school systems in the country, keep in mind that Va. is not integrated and California has two integrated systems. The architect behind the system was given the highest civilian honor (Clinton), and was offered a position as the first secretatry of education (Carter), and was reveared as the leader of all public educators by JFK. A name like North Carlina Univeristy of Charlotte (NCUofC) could give appropriate recognition to both Charlotte and the state school system, both of which are valuable to local and national corporations.

PS Just as clarification in support of earlier comments (49er), every UNC school is part of the UNC system which is based in Chapel Hill. They are not however branches of UNCCH.

[Charlotteman]

I agree with the mayor on this. University of Charlotte. While we're at it, let's go with Charlotte Panthers too.

[Raintree21]

Call me old school but I prefer UNC-Charlotte. I'm the say way with Pheifer College, Elon, and all the other colleges that "upgraded" their names to "University." I'm from Charlotte and have a huge amount of pride in the city but I still think it should stay the same. I don't know if its because I went to Chapel Hill or not. Personally, I've never had any problem knowing what people were talking about when the said UNCC or UNC-Charlotte.

[rockhilljames]

USC Spartanburg has changed its name to the unwieldy "USC Upstate." It wasn't Palms who encouraged them to stand on their own, they were (and are) exploring the feasiblity of it on their own.

They wouldn't be the first. USC Florence is now Francis Marion and Coastal Carolina used to be part of the USC system.

The systems of USC and UNC are totally different. The USC schools are member schools of the main campus. The UNC system is totally separate if I have it right.

I think UNCC would benefit from changing its name.

[Version70-8]

USC Upstate moves up to NCAA Division I-AA next year and will be in the Atlantic Sun Conference. This past season the men's basketball team got a taste of the big leagues when they played a preseason exhibition game at Kentucky.

As far as UNC Charlotte goes...I think that a name change is a good idea since any time they are mentioned on television they are referred to as just 'Charlotte', but I like the name 'Charlotte University' a lot more than University of Charlotte. IMO.

[BobbyDav]

Call me old school but I prefer UNC-Charlotte... I Personally, I've never had any problem knowing what people were talking about when the said UNCC or UNC-Charlotte.

[Batou]

I go to UNCC now and think our name is just fine Not to mention all the crap we'd have to change and reprint all around campus among other things.

[archiham04]

minor details like "college" into "university."

[AuLukey]

Well, I now could care less one way or another in all honesty. Hoooooowever, this topic coming back up is very random as I decided on my drive home today to go to Grey's Bookstore, buy a new University of North Carolina at Charlotte inner window decal (forgot to keep the one off my old car) and splice the "North Carolina at" part off and stick the rest back on my window. Just to see the response I get. I suspect confusion will be the most common reaction.