Western Colorado University?
Officials at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction don’t necessarily like the sound of that name – one of five new monikers being considered by Western State College in Gunnison.
Western State is looking for a new name and new university status just as the university formerly known as Mesa State College did last year. Mesa State became Colorado Mesa University after the school’s board of trustees took the concerns of Western State’s trustees into account and agreed not to use a name that included the word “western.” There were fears that might cause confusion between the two colleges that are 230 miles apart.
Now, Colorado Mesa officials say they are not receiving the same courtesy from Western State. They don’t like the idea of Western State choosing a name without consulting with Colorado Mesa.
“Unfortunately, we’ve been forced to keep abreast of their name-change efforts based on media reports.” said Derek Wagner, director of strategic initiatives at Colorado Mesa. “We are concerned about some of the names in the survey.”
Not true, said Western State President Jay Helman.
“I sent Tim (Colorado Mesa President Tim Foster ) an email Dec. 15. I outlined the whole thing and told him some of the names we are considering,” Helman said.
Western State is surveying the public to determine favorite names from a list that includes five different combinations of the words “western,” “Colorado” and “university.” One name also includes the word, “state.”
Helman said the name must include the word “western” because that has been part of his century-old college’s name since 1923. It has to include “Colorado” because the reality is that Western State can’t survive without attracting out-of-state students. And the university status is something the college has been pushing towards for 10 years – not as a copycat reaction to Colorado Mesa’s move last year.
Helman said he is working to get board members from the two colleges together at Colorado Mesa’s next trustee meeting.
Western State’s board is expected to choose a new name in February based on the public survey results. Soon after, the new name and a request for university status will go to the legislature for approval.
Nancy Lofholm: 970-256-1957 or nlofholm@denverpost.com
