Is it an old, new idea? Or a new, old idea?
On Wednesday, Mississippi University for Women President Nora Miller sent an email to MUW alumni outlining her plans for the university to explore changing its name to make it more inclusive of all students.
As we have stated before, this is a long-overdue change, and we are glad the school is restarting this conversation.
Name change has been an idea that has been kicked around since the university began accepting male students 40 years ago. In the past, the idea of a name change has been met with stiff opposition from alumni groups. More recently, though, opposition has seemed to soften.
Based on Miller’s email, we sense the time for acting on a name change is at hand. Miller stated in May the Dean’s Council sent her a letter which acknowledged the challenges the name presents. In response, Miller has formed a task force to “take a deeper dive into this issue and see if now is the time to recommend a more inclusive name.”
Assuming the task force agrees a name-change is warranted, listening sessions will be scheduled. There is also an email address where people can weigh in on the issue: [email protected].
The inability to settle this debate has gone on far too long. A name change will help attract more students, especially male students. It will also better reflect the university’s status as a modern, full-service institution. It’s hard to argue with either of those points.
As noted in her message to W alumni, the university’s name has changed before, from its original Columbus Female Institute (1847) to Industrial Institute and College (1884) to Mississippi State College for Women (1920) and finally MUW (1974).
A 2009 effort to change the name by then-president Claudia Limbert narrowed the name options to Waverley University and Reneau University. Waverley seemed to only be an excuse to retain the “W” while Sally Reneau was an early advocate for the formation of the institution.
Welty University — a nod to the school’s most famous alumni, Eudora Welty — frequently is suggested, though in 2009 the author’s family declined to agree to the usage of her name.
Previous name change discussions have focused on choosing a name that keeps the letter “W,” so that the school could still be referred to as “The W.”
The university is going to be referred to as “The W” for years to come no matter the name, much as the University of Mississippi continues to be called “Ole Miss.”
When the university was founded it served a narrow population and a narrow purpose: to educate women who, at the time, were not admitted to state universities, in a few “female” fields — predominantly teaching and nursing.
What has happened is addition rather than subtraction. Today, the university offers dozens of fields of study for female and male students alike. The name should reflect present reality or, at least, not continue to ignore it.
We see a relevant comparison 25 miles to the west. When the university in Starkville changed its name from Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College to Mississippi State College in 1932 it did not diminish the commitment to agricultural or engineering programs. Indeed, what we now know as Mississippi State University has an excellent reputation in those fields of study.
Miller, herself an alumna of MUW, certainly has respect for the history and mission of the university. As MUW president, she also has an eye to the future and that’s what this is really all about.
The name change will not be without debate, perhaps spirited debate. Even so, the time has come to resurrect this new/old idea. We look forward to the discussions and eagerly await the results.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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