Version 4: updated Sept. 18, 2007, with new information about the Missouri S&T logo and updated information about the Missouri S&T graphic identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of this blog?
What will be the new name for the university?
How will it be abbreviated?
When will the name change take effect?
How were the name and effective date determined?
What will be the web/email domain name for the university?
Will the umr.edu domain name still be in use during the transition time?
What is the university's new logo?
How did the university determine a new logo?
How is the logo to be used?
How will the university's graphic identity be coordinated?
Will the university still use the historic emblem?
When will Missouri S&T apparel be available?
Why did the university consider a name change for UMR?
What is a "technological research university"?
What other names were considered?
Why was Missouri S&T proposed?
What UMR groups supported the name change proposal?
What input have students, alumni, faculty, staff and others had on the process?
What are the research results?
Will the name of the alumni association change?
Is the name change part of the campus reorganization plan that is resulting in the elimination of the schools and college?
Will alumni be able to obtain diplomas that display the new name?
Will the university still be part of the four-campus University of Missouri?
Will the university continue to offer non-engineering and non-science degrees, such as degrees in the liberal arts, humanities and business?
How much will it cost to convert signage, publicity materials, etc., to a new name?
Timeline: UMR’s evolution from MSM
What is the purpose of this blog?
UMR launched the Name Change Conversations blog as part of an effort to provide UMR alumni, students, faculty, staff and others with another opportunity to provide input on a proposed name change. From the date of its launch until soon after the University of Missouri Board of Curators approved the name change on April 6, 2007, this blog served as a forum for discussing the proposal and as a means for the university to provide information about the name change proposal and process to those interested. (See Welcome to the conversation for information on the blog's original intent.) Since approval of the name change, however, this blog's focus is on sharing information about how the university will implement the name change by Jan. 1, 2008.
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What will be the new name for the university?
Missouri University of Science and Technology.
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How will it be abbreviated?
"Missouri S&T" is the official abbreviation or nickname. Either the full university name or the nickname will be used on all official university materials, such as stationery, business cards, marketing materials and apparel.
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When will the name change take effect?
The new name will take effect on Jan. 1, 2008.
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How were the name and effective date determined?
Chancellor John F. Carney III proposed the name to the Board of Curators in March 2007 and announced the proposed name during a March 23, 2007, press conference on the UMR campus. The Board of Curators voted on the proposal at the board's April 5-6, 2007, meeting in Rolla, and unanimously approved the recommendation.
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What will be the web/email domain name for the university?
The domain name will be "mst.edu," effective Jan. 1, 2008.
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Will the umr.edu domain name still be in use during the transition time?
Yes. The umr.edu domain name will be in effect until the new name takes effect in January 2008.
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What is the university's new logo?
The new logo, unveiled on Monday, Sept. 17, 2007, and depicted below, consists of a bold, serif word mark that emphasizes the "S&T" aspect of our new name. The graphic also incorporates a pickaxe symbol in the ampersand to connect with our heritage as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy and the first technological school west of the Mississippi.
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How did the university determine a new logo?
The university worked with the consulting team of SimpsonScarborough/Creative Communication Associates (SS/CCA) to develop a variety of logo concepts. An early round of those concepts was shared with students, alumni, faculty, staff and the public in July 2007 through open forums on campus and in St. Louis, as well as online. The university received more than 770 responses to the surveys -- 438 from the online survey and 334 from the forums on campus and in St. Louis. Based on the survey results and other input, the university, working with SS/CCA, refined the ideas and presented four concepts to focus groups of alumni and prospective students in August. Finally, based on the input from the focus groups and various other student, alumni, and faculty and staff groups, the university selected the logo presented on Sept. 17, 2007.
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How is the logo to be used?
The logo will become the official graphic mark for Missouri University of Science and Technology. Details are still being worked out and will be explained in a graphic identity manual, to be made available to the campus community by mid-October.
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How will the university's graphic identity be coordinated?
A Brand Identity Team will coordinate the work related to developing a new brand identity.
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Will the university still use the historic emblem?
Yes, the historic emblem (shown here) will still be used for very specific purposes, which will be outlined in a forthcoming graphic identity manual. As we explain in our current graphic identity manual, "The Historic Emblem is not a 'logo' and should not be used as such." UMR's graphic designers are revising the historic emblem to incorporate the new name.
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When will Missouri S&T apparel be available?
Although the name change does not take effect until January 2008, student apparel bearing either the full name of the university (Missouri University of Science and Technology) or the official nickname (Missouri S&T) will be allowed. Because the new graphic identity has not yet been established, all apparel bearing the university name or nickname must be in standard collegiate block type, such as "College" font. All apparel designs bearing the Missouri University of Science and Technology or Missouri S&T names should be submitted to the UMR Communications Department for approval. Apparel bearing the official university identity will be available from the UMR Bookstore closer to the date of the official name change.
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Why did the university consider a name change for UMR?
The University of Missouri-Rolla is unique among the four University of Missouri campuses because of its mission to serve as a technological research university. Yet the university's name does not reflect the campus' distinctive nature.
A more distinctive name may afford UMR several advantages in recruiting students on a national level. While UMR is well known in the Midwest for its academic excellence, it is less well known on a national scale.
UMR Chancellor John F. Carney III has set a goal to make UMR one of the nation's top five technological research universities. Many of UMR’s "competitors" for that position have names that better reflect their mission. (For example: California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.)
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What is a "technological research university"?
UMR has defined a technological research university as one in which:
1.) at least one-fourth of the student body major in engineering
2.) a majority of students are enrolled in the study of engineering, the sciences, business or mathematics;
3.) a robust graduate program exists in each of those fields;
4.) a strong research culture exists within the university; and
5.) exceptional liberal arts, humanities and social sciences degree programs thrive so as to complement and lend context to the technological strengths of the university.
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What other names were considered?
Among the other names considered were:
- Missouri University of Science and Engineering
- University of Missouri Institute of Technology
- Missouri Science and Technology University
- Missouri Science and Engineering University
- Missouri Institute of Technology
- Missouri Technological University
- Missouri Polytechnic University
- Technological University of Missouri
- University of Missouri-Rolla
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Why was Missouri S&T proposed?
“Missouri S&T” best identifies our unique mission and traditional strengths in science and technology.
Based on the results of our market research, UMR proposed a name that resonates more with prospective students and high school counselors and that will allow UMR to better recruit students nationally.
The S&T title is well recognized among some of the top international technological research universities.
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What UMR groups supported the name change proposal?
The proposal has received the unanimous support of the UMR Board of Trustees.
Other organizations to endorse the proposal include:
The UMR Academy of Engineering Management
The UMR Academy of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineers
The UMR Corporate Development Council
The School of Management and Information Systems Advisory Council
The School of Management and Information Systems Executive Committee
The UMR Order of the Golden Shillelagh (OGS) Executive Committee
The UMR Enrollment Development Team
The UMR Recruitment Committee
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What input have students, alumni, faculty, staff and others had on the process?
Throughout the process, the university has tried to reach out to various constituencies.
Public forums were held with current students, faculty, staff and alumni during the fall semester. Chancellor Carney also consulted key alumni, community leaders and legislators.
An alumni survey appeared in the Winter 2006 issue of the quarterly alumni magazine, UMR Magazine. Results were compiled in January 2007.
Faculty, staff and current students were surveyed electronically in late January and early February 2007. The results were compiled in February 2007.
In early February 2007, UMR contracted with consulting firm SimpsonScarborough to perform market research. Preliminary information was provided to university officials on March 12. The final report was sent March 22, 2007. SimpsonScarborough surveyed community leaders, corporate recruiters, prospective students and high school guidance counselors.
In addition to the formal research and surveys, the university gathered input informally through email, letters and comments posted on the Name Change Conversations weblog (namechange.mst.edu).
Based on the research results and additional input from various groups, Chancellor Carney submitted a proposal to the UM System Board of Curators, which will take up the issue at its meeting on April 5-6, 2007.
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What are the research results?
A majority of alumni, faculty, staff and graduate students believe a name other than UMR would best describe the university, while a majority of current students believe the current name best describes the university. Details are provided in the post Survey results at a glance.
In addition, research conducted for UMR by SimpsonScarborough indicates that a majority of prospective students, guidance counselors, corporate recruiters and community leaders believe Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is the most appealing name for the university. These groups all also cited University of Missouri-Rolla as the least appealing name.
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Will the name of the alumni association change?
This is an issue to be decided by the MSM-UMR Alumni Association board of directors.
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Is the name change part of the campus reorganization plan that is resulting in the elimination of the schools and college?
The name change discussion is a separate issue.
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Will alumni be able to obtain diplomas that display the new name?
We've received a number of requests from alumni who would like to have Missouri S&T diplomas. We hope to be able to offer new diplomas but still have some details to work out. Stay tuned.
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Will the university still be part of the four-campus University of Missouri?
Yes. The campus intends to remain the technological research campus of the University of Missouri.
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Will the university continue to offer non-engineering and non-science degrees, such as degrees in the liberal arts, humanities and business?
Yes. The university plans to continue to offer all of its current degrees, including those in the liberal arts, humanities, social sciences and humanities. As Chancellor John F. Carney III publicly stated in one presentation to the University of Missouri Board of Curators: “These are critically important areas for our university. It’s simply not correct to think that a technological research university should not have a strong, vibrant psychology department. We have no intent of marginalizing any of those departments.”
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How much will it cost to convert signage, publicity materials, etc., to a new name?
Estimates of other Missouri institutions that have undergone name changes range from $200,000 to $250,000. Initial estimates place the cost at approximately $100,000 in one-time expenditures. Some expenses, such as new signage, publications and uniforms, are already budgeted and therefore are not included in this estimate.
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>Timeline: UMR’s evolution from MSM
1870 – The campus was established as the University of Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy. It soon became known as MSM, or the Missouri School of Mines. When the first class was called to order on Nov. 6, 1871, the campus offered degrees in mining engineering, metallurgical engineering, civil engineering (etc) as well as supporting programs in mathematics, chemistry and the natural sciences. MSM was the second campus of the University of Missouri and the first technological school west of the Mississippi River.
1964 – The University of Missouri expanded into a four-campus system to include campuses in Kansas City and St. Louis. The University of Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy was renamed the University of Missouri at Rolla.
1968 – The University of Missouri at Rolla became known as the University of Missouri-Rolla.
2006 – In his second State of the University Address since arriving on campus, UMR Chancellor John F. Carney III announces that he wants the campus community, alumni and other supporters of the university to "enter into a discussion" about the benefits and disadvantages of changing the University of Missouri-Rolla's name to something that better reflects the campus' role as a technological research university.
2007 - On March 23, 2007, Chancellor Carney proposes changing the name of the University of Missouri-Rolla to Missouri University of Science and Technology, or Missouri S&T for short. On April 6, 2007, the University of Missouri Board of Curators approved the new name for the university, effective Jan. 1, 2008.
Historical information taken from UM-Rolla: A History of MSM/UMR, by Lawrence O. Christensen and Jack B. Ridley (Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Printing Services, 1983). Christensen and Ridley are Curators’ Teaching Professors emeritus of history at UMR.
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