The Name Game

[HoustonCajun]

I just saw an add at the bottom of this website for LOUISIANA UNIVERSITY, which is for an on-line curricula with Grantham University, presumably located in Louisiana.

That got me to thinking again about our name and the legal problems we have in using UL. This is what the law says:

"The use of the two-letter University of Louisiana abbreviation, "UL, and/or the phrase "U of L" are prohibited by theh university or any of its affiliated organizations (alumni associations, development foundations, bookstores, etc.). For academic, public relations, athletic, as well as other purposes not specified, the use of the University of Louisiana abbreviation must always include the abbreviation for the municipal location of the institution. For example, ULR is appropriate for University of Louisiana at Rayne."

The Lafayette community uses UL to refer to us, but nowhere else is it used, with a few exceptions. We are ULL or Louisiana-Lafayette. The university is starting to get a little bolder in using UL and Louisiana, but that usage is inconsistent. It may be years before we are universally accepted as UL.

How about using "LU" instead of "UL"? Use of "LU" would (1) possibly circumvent the law and allow for universal use of that reference by the university, (2) eliminate the UL vs. ULM continuing saga which will likely never end, (3) avoid any confusion with Louisville, and (4) put us in pretty good company with schools like OU (University of Oklahoma), KU (University of Kansas) and CU (University of Colorado).

Any lawyers out there who might want to comment on the legality of using "LU"?

This was probably discussed before as we have been fighting this name thing for 8 years now. Here in Houston, we are ULL and Louisiana-Lafayette, as we are referred to just about everywhere outside of Lafayette. While I prefer the "UL" reference to "LU", this is a continuing up-hill battle that I would hope to see resolved in my lifetime, but who knows if it ever will be. Why continue to struggle year after year when we might have a good, legal alternative.

[CajunCanaille]

I actually suggested this to one of my friends a while back. I like the LU better than UL. It also gets us away from having the same abbreviation and the more know Univ. of Louisville. I even like the sound of LU as opposed to UL. I would give Monroe the UL name if we switched to LU. I know you can us an avatar on this sight w/ the interlocking UL reversed and looking for like LU. I also like that logo better (attached below). I would be all for that. I just don't see the university switching the name again.

[Louisiana1call]

We just played a school called N.U. in baseball, most people call them Nebraska. I like L.U.

[Just1More]

No.

[SportsFan]

LU....Lamar University

[Clutch0364]

_ LU....Lamar University _

UL - University of Louisville
USC - University of Southern California or is it University of South Carolina
UT - University of Texas or is it University of Tennessee

People really pay to much damn attention to initials....they mena nothing. Who cares if another school has the same initials when its shows up on the scoreboard. I'm much more concerned with the amount of points next to the initials than I am of the initials and I think more people need to worry about that.

[HoustonCajun]

_ LU....Lamar University _

UL ... University of Louisville and the ULM debacle.

Which is worse - Lamar who doesn't play football and certainly not 1A football if they revive it or Louisiville/ULM?

And, the continuing UL battle over the law and its legal use?

While I prefer the UL reference, I don't want to still be fighting the identity battle 10 years from now as to whether we are UL, ULL, or Louisiana-Lafayette. If we can circumvent the law with legal use of LU, we should consider using it.

I would still like an attorney to advise if use of LU would actually circumvent the law as written and allow us universal use of LU. If it doesn't, then this is all a moot point.

[HoustonCajun]

_ UL - University of Louisville
USC - University of Southern California or is it University of South Carolina
UT - University of Texas or is it University of Tennessee

People really pay to much damn attention to initials....they mena nothing. Who cares if another school has the same initials when its shows up on the scoreboard. I'm much more concerned with the amount of points next to the initials than I am of the initials and I think more people need to worry about that. _

Does that mean you are content with the ULL reference? As I said, I don't like the ULL reference and would prefer the UL reference. But, if UL will never become universally used initials for this university and the name battle will continue endlessly, I am for the LU name (assuming it legally circumvents the law). As you pointed out, there are a lot of schools with similar initials. Its the ULL I am opposed to and the continuing battle with ULM and around the law.

[HoustonCajun]

_ Does that mean you are content with the UL reference? As I said, I don't like the UL reference and would prefer the UL reference. But, if UL will never become universally used initials for this university and the name battle will continue endlessly, I am for the LU name (assuming it legally circumvents the law). As you pointed out, there are a lot of schools with similar initials. Its the UL I am opposed to and the continuing battle with ULM and around the law. _

I just realized that this website does not allow the extra L to show up in any reference, so it is difficult to state ones point. My concern is with the UL L (I hope that works).

[Clutch0364]

_ Does that mean you are content with the UL reference? As I said, I don't like the UL reference and would prefer the UL reference. But, if UL will never become universally used initials for this university and the name battle will continue endlessly, I am for the LU name (assuming it legally circumvents the law). As you pointed out, there are a lot of schools with similar initials. Its the UL I am opposed to and the continuing battle with ULM and around the law. _

I always use UL without the extra L when talking to people but I think any argument is moot until we seperate ourselves from these other schools. I know the name issue is much deeper than the football field but unless we start beating people on the field no one will refer to us as anything because we will be an after thought. If we put more wins on the stat page we will have much more bargaining power to be called whatever we want to be called. We can argue that we be called UL or LU or La La State but unless we prove that we deserve the name nothing will change.

[Just1More]

Let's get our funding methodology right and all else will follow.

[HoustonCajun]

_ I always use UL without the extra L when talking to people but I think any argument is moot until we seperate ourselves from these other schools. I know the name issue is much deeper than the football field but unless we start beating people on the field no one will refer to us as anything because we will be an after thought. If we put more wins on the stat page we will have much more bargaining power to be called whatever we want to be called. We can argue that we be called UL or LU or La La State but unless we prove that we deserve the name nothing will change. _

I agree that winning will solve a lot of problems. However, our identiy problem is the mixed message that the university athletic department sends out. We are referred to as primarily Louisiana Lafayette, but also as UL, Louisiana, Louisiana's Ragin Cajuns and Louisiana. Then, there is a statement about what NOT to call us. We continue to be referred to nationally and statewide (outside of Lafayette) as Louisiana Lafayette and ULL. Winning alone will not solve the identity problem.

When our athletic department says we are LU and Louisiana and that is all you should call us, that is what we will be called, period, whether we are winning or not. Currently, they will not use UL only because of the law. My point is to create that singular identity with LU if it will circumvent the law. UL will not and unless we get the law changed, this will be a long term continuing problem. Combine a singular identity that we want with winning and we have a "winning" combination.