2008 Woodie Awards
"What's in a name?" debate could affect a college (or university) near you
Andrew Zaleski
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: Opinion
What's in a name? Do we interpret names merely as linguistic devices to distinguish one thing from another, or does a name hold some special, deeper meaning?
Do we call it the Bell of Liberty or the Liberty Bell? The Great China Wall or the Great Wall of China?
Assistant Regional Manager or Assistant to the Regional Manager?
As you may or may not know, Loyola is currently seeking a new dean to head its prospective School of Education.
Certainly the addition of a new school is an exciting development, something which will clearly only enhance the academics offered at Loyola as well as increase the prestige of the college as a whole.
But there's a slight problem.
With the addition of a School of Education, Loyola College will be composed of 3 separate colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Sellinger School of Business and Management and this new School of Education.
Traditionally, institutions of higher learning with such a multiplicity of individual colleges are adorned with the title of "University."
The only true exception I can think of (and I'm sure there are more) is Boston College, but the reason as to why Boston College was never renamed "Boston University" should hopefully be more than apparent.
This raises a fundamental question: when Loyola finally adds this new School of Education, shall we cease to be Loyola College and become Loyola University?
For the record, I'm speculating here.
Considered at face value, the matter itself isn't something particularly shattering emotionally for the school. So the name gets changed, who cares?
Changing our name from Loyola College to Loyola University is merely a professional technicality and neither impacts who we are as a school nor who we are as a learning community. Right?
I beg to differ.
Coming from a small high school, the major appeal of Loyola was what I found to be a university-caliber education nestled in a small college environment.
Do we call it the Bell of Liberty or the Liberty Bell? The Great China Wall or the Great Wall of China?
Assistant Regional Manager or Assistant to the Regional Manager?
As you may or may not know, Loyola is currently seeking a new dean to head its prospective School of Education.
Certainly the addition of a new school is an exciting development, something which will clearly only enhance the academics offered at Loyola as well as increase the prestige of the college as a whole.
But there's a slight problem.
With the addition of a School of Education, Loyola College will be composed of 3 separate colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Sellinger School of Business and Management and this new School of Education.
Traditionally, institutions of higher learning with such a multiplicity of individual colleges are adorned with the title of "University."
The only true exception I can think of (and I'm sure there are more) is Boston College, but the reason as to why Boston College was never renamed "Boston University" should hopefully be more than apparent.
This raises a fundamental question: when Loyola finally adds this new School of Education, shall we cease to be Loyola College and become Loyola University?
For the record, I'm speculating here.
Considered at face value, the matter itself isn't something particularly shattering emotionally for the school. So the name gets changed, who cares?
Changing our name from Loyola College to Loyola University is merely a professional technicality and neither impacts who we are as a school nor who we are as a learning community. Right?
I beg to differ.
Coming from a small high school, the major appeal of Loyola was what I found to be a university-caliber education nestled in a small college environment.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Ben Murphy LC '98
posted 1/29/08 @ 12:32 AM EST
Mr. Zaleski, your article has many pertinent points. Yet, hopefully, the administration of Loyola College will remember two ideas in the years to come. (Continued…)
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