The results of the alumni name change survey have generated quite a bit of discussion, but that isn't the only constituent group UMR has surveyed on this issue. In January and this month, we've surveyed students, faculty and staff to gauge their opinions about the proposal. In the coming weeks, a higher ed marketing consultant will survey prospective students, corporate recruiters, high school counselors and teachers, and local and state opinion leaders. Our hope is that from all these surveys -- as well as all the input from letters, emails, phone calls, etc. -- a mosaic of opinion will emerge to help us better determine what course of action to take.
Here's a summary of all survey results (from alumni, students, faculty and staff) thus far:
A majority of alumni, faculty, staff and graduate students believe a name other than UMR would best describe the university.
- As we've already noted, this holds true for 70.1 percent of alumni responding to the survey in the Winter 2006 issue of the alumni magazine, UMR Magazine.
- 57 percent of graduate students surveyed say the same.
- So do 65 percent of faculty and 62 percent of staff (although the staff numbers are incomplete, as we have not yet tallied mail-in survey results from about 100 staff members who do not have computer access).
A slight majority (54 percent) of undergraduate students believe the current name best describes the university
In all of the surveys, of those who said a name other than UMR would best describe the university, there is no consensus on what the best name should be.
We'll share more detail as we go along, but thought that might give you folks something to mull over during the weekend.
I went to the Missouri School of Mines (& Metalurgy ), which is widely known and respected in my industry (Construction). You can call yourself what ever you want, but my guess is that the "old miners" will always call our school the Missour School of Mines.
The group of words selected especially "Technology" sound more like a mail order degree to get from Popular Mechanic's classified adds.
i prefer the old name. changing the name will incurr, i believe, not needed expense
I watched the name change announcment of this Chancelor. Very disappointing. Where did Chancelor Carney come from. What is engineering background. He he a Rolla grad? Did he know about UMR when he interviewed. This is a bad decision and encourage all proud alumni and corporate recruiters to contact our Curators and let them know. This name change is a step back and will eventually lead to reduced alumni and state support. Be careful as to what you ask for because if you don't what to be part of the University of Missouri schools, then UMC will probably be pleased to have the additional state support. MST sounds like a Votech school. Missouri State Technology, Missouri School of Technology. MUST will be the name. Curators should send it back for redo.
I feel that changing the name of UMR to something different for the sake of "better describing the university" sounds like a sales/marketing manager finding another way to spice up the name for something that is in everyones daily vocabulary. The university has already made a name for its self due to its reputation and the reputation of the students that is produces. I can see future conversations where a graduate of "Missouri S&T" will have to constantly make reference to "UMR" in order to impress upon someone where they got their engineering degree. The name sounds like something you see in the back of an airline magazine for an online degree. I think that the name should stay the same. Thank you for your time.
I do not think that changing UMR - MSM name is a good idea at all. This school has been known for the engineering professionals that it has graduated and the name stands for something. Just because someone feels the urge to do something while in a position, do something to help the students, not change the name of a well known college!!!!! DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!
I was the proud mother of a student at a university with a well know and respected name. UMR. I was proud to have a student at a great school with name recognition. Now I'm the mother of a son at a no name school that no one has heard of, a school that sounds like just another vocational school. Where is the name recognition in that? I see a future of him putting out resumes with UMR because he doesn't want prospective employeers to pass over his application from a no name vocatiional school.
Amazing. This chancellor and his cronies go on making claims that a majority of alumni and students prefer the "new" name and yet I have not met ANY alumni who prefer it (and I work with and see lots of alumni) nor, pointedly, do I see anyone making comments ON THIS VERY SITE in favor of the name change. Where is this fabled majority? I'm not seeing it. I must be a statistical anomaly because, of the couple of dozen alumni with whom I interact on a regular basis (from about three decades of graduation dates), ZERO percent (that's a big "0", also known as a "goose egg") are in favor of the name change. ZERO. It sounds like this is universal. Maybe we should do a verbal poll in terms of cheers at a homecoming game and see what the results might be? Nah...never happen. Too revealing about the truth of the matter.