University Fights For Identity ... Students weigh in
LOUISIANA La. — UL Lafayette, USL, SLI, SLII — for the campus known by so many names, only one more change would be sweeter, according to some diehard Ragin’ Cajun fans. The University of Louisiana sans Lafayette is the only name that will do for those who bleed not just red, but the school’s vermilion.
“ ‘Lafayette’ makes it sound too much like a junior college or the red-headed stepchild of someone else,” said Jacques Fontenot, a general studies major with a business concentration. “I think the ‘Lafayette’ nametag makes it seem more like a regional school and it just makes it seem like not as prestigious as just the University of Louisiana.”
That “regionalization” is what the university was trying to escape with a name change, University President Ray Authement said.
The official name, University of Louisiana at Lafayette is only five years old, but it wasn’t the name the university fought nearly 20 years to own. It was a compromise for what the school really wanted — “University of Louisiana” without “at Lafayette.”
And in 1984, the University of Southwestern Louisiana dropped the “Southwestern.” Spring graduates received diplomas with the new name, but the change was brief.
A court ruled that only the Legislature had the authority to give the university another name.
The Legislature created an opening for the change to come about, saying that schools in the University of Louisiana System could change their name to the “University of Louisiana” with an “at geographic location” added, but only if more than one school made the change.
It took awhile to persuade another school, but in 1999, Northeast Louisiana University became the University of Louisiana at Monroe and USL became University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Darren Guidry has one of those rare diplomas that bears the name, “University of Louisiana.” Guidry graduated in the spring of 1984 with a degree in business. Later, he returned to then-USL to earn his MBA in 1992.
“We were all quite proud that we would be the first graduates of the University of Louisiana,” Guidry said. “Shortly before graduation, we learned it had been changed back. We were disappointed, but then we got this collector’s item. The USL diploma and the U of L diploma. The one I hung on the wall was from the University of Louisiana.”
An unofficial campaign continues among supporters to drop Lafayette from the university’s official name. But Authement doesn’t think now is the time to go to the Legislature again.
“It’s all a matter of timing,” he said. “If we try to change it now, we’d meet with opposition. I see a time where we can negotiate a change.”
He said he believes that opposition would come again from LSU and possibly other schools in the University of Louisiana System, to which the school belongs, including ULM.
The university dropping its “at Lafayette” in the local market isn’t a problem, said Randyl Ratcliff, a 1986 ULM graduate who now lives in Lafayette and is the president of ULM’s Greater Lafayette/Acadiana alumni chapter.
“I can’t see a reason why not, other than the confusion, but the other school is 200 miles away,” Ratcliff said.
But an official change could present some problems, especially if it means less funding, Ratcliff said.
“How would UL Lafayette feel if ULM wanted to drop its name but UL Lafayette couldn’t?” Ratcliff asked.
Authement said he believes in time all questions will be put to rest as the university continues to build its reputation as a research and teaching institution.
“Obviously, LSU has some concerns, but LSU is LSU,” Authement said. “My sentiment is let them be as good as they can be, but let us be as good as we can be.”
“We’re doing well as UL Lafayette,” Authement said. “(The name change) would distinguish us in the state. LSU is LSU at Baton Rouge. They dropped that in a hurry. It was important to them. It’s only natural that our people would have the same desire.”
Certain regulations require the university not to drop the Lafayette from its name, Authement explained. The regulations even specify the size that the word “Lafayette” must appear in the university’s official signs and other paraphernalia.
But in small ways, a shift is happening. In athletics, the Ragin’ Cajuns are known as “Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns.” While the words “Ragin’ Cajuns” once filled the end zone at Cajun Field, now “Louisiana” is sprawled across the zones. In small script, Lafayette is sprayed underneath. Sports reporters are encouraged to refer to the team as “Louisiana” instead of Lafayette.
And fans have initiated loopholes of their own. The topic is a hot one on fan Web forums where discussions center on “UL” versus “UL Lafayette.”
Jon Robertson didn’t attend USL or UL but said he has spent enough hours in Edith Garland Dupré Library to earn a degree there. His fascination with the university’s history prompted him to create the Web site www.raginpagin.com which includes an online forum for fans.
There, the topic of the name change comes up pretty often, mostly when there’s a lag in sports news, Robertson said.
“When you say UL Lafayette, the only thing you remember is Lafayette, especially if you’re an outsider. I don’t think that gives the school any justice. The whole point of the change was they were trying to get away from regionalization with Southwestern. Lafayette is 10 times more localized as Southwestern,” Robertson said.
Students on campus have varying opinions. Most freshmen stopped Friday afternoon didn’t realize that there was such wrangling over the name.
“It doesn’t matter what you call it,” said Ryan Kazemi, a senior criminal justice major who plans to graduate in December. “I was here when it was first changed and was under the impression that things would start improving and looking better. I’m in the same exact school. Nothing’s changed.”
Arnessa Garrett Kazemi sat in the student lounge of the university’s honors building Friday morning. Nearby students picked up on his line of thought. Bryan Fontenot, a marketing junior, said he thinks the name UL Lafayette is just fine.
“What do you think of when I say ‘OU?’” Fontenot asked no one in particular. A student responded “Oklahoma University.”
“I think of Oregon,” Fontenot said. He fired off another question to the corner of the room. “USC?”
“University of Southern California,” someone interjected.
Fontenot shook his head. “You see I think of University of South Carolina.”
Then he popped the final question, “UL?”
A student replied, “University of Louisiana.”
Fontenot again shook his head. “No, I think of University of Louisville. There’s already a UL. UL Lafayette sets us apart from everybody.”
Kazemi wondered aloud what good the name change would do for the university financially.
“All our money is going to LSU. If they call us LSU-Lafayette maybe we’ll get some money,” Kazemi deadpanned.
Fontenot also graduates in December and has a clear opinion on the name he’d like to appear on his diploma.
“I’d prefer it if it said University of Louisiana but there’s nothing you can do about it,” Fontenot said. “I know if anybody asks me I’m going to say I graduated from the University of Louisiana.”
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Marsha Sills
msills@theadvertiser.com
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