Students statewide choose University of Louisiana

[CajunRed]

Probably won't see it (officially UL) my lifetime; but never is a long time. Only problem I see is with your comparison to UT. I'm almost a half-century old and I've only known UT as UT, or simply Texas. No Ut-Austin. And heaven forbid, never heard them called "Austin"; and I suspect we have all heard our university referred to as "Lafayette" to ad nauseum.

Bingo! It will have to be built from within. I won't buy anything that has "Lafayette" on it. Am I ashamed of my home town - heck no; but continuing to merchandize the university with the city tag will only help delay the common reference we all desire; and that is simply UL or Louisiana.

Both good comments. My only comparison to UT had to do with the fact that they are known at the University of Texas (without the "at Austin") because of their status in the state. As we grow... and put out more and more students who do not use the "at Lafayette" tag, we also have the chance to one day be known without the "at anything"!

[HoustonCajun]

My heart wants us to be the University of Louisiana, but common knowlege tells me that the LSU laden legislature and the powerful LSU Alumni will never allow this.

The battle has been fought so many times with the same results. I am all for trying again and will do all that I can to promote the University of Louisiana and I will be disappointed in the end just as I have in years past.

I live in California and every school I can think of here goes by initials. There is UCLA, USC, and there is SDSU, and USD. They all do quite well in athletics and are univesally recognized.

UCLA is the University of California at Los Angeles
USC is the Univesity of Southern California
USD is the University of San Diego
SDSU is San Diego State Univesity.
Even the Univesity of California is known at times as The Univesity of California-Berkley

While I would love for us to be the Univesity of Louisina I can live with The Univesity of Louisiana-Lafayette if it comes to that

From what I have read and based on my understanding of this, once the court ruling said that only the legislature could name a school, the legislature then gave that authority to the Boards. If that is correct, then the UL System Board has authority to change the name to UL. LSU, theoretically, has no control over the UL System Board. What we need to do is get ULM to change their name back to NLU, but as North Louisiana University, because they don't want to be ULM and do want their own NLU identity, while at the same time get the "at Lafayette" to be dropped making us the only University of Louisiana in the UL System. Between the Governor's office, the Head of Higher Education (Joe Savoie - UL Alum), Dr. A and newly appointed Board members by the Governor, could this not be accomplished? It would be a win-win situation all around.

[skankinCajun]

Dont kid yourself...It aint the higher education that makes people know lsu.

we all know its athletics.. im not THAT dumb.

[Tripple Threat]

im all for this and it should happen.
but LSU has the complete monopoly of higher education as far as name recognition. my girlfriend is transferring here from northern kentucky U. and when she said she was trasfering to University of Louisiana people there thought she was talking about LSU.

That also happened quite a bit to me when I moved here from Tampa to go to school at was then USL. Until I explained it to them, most of the people I knew in Florida thought I was going to LSUAM.

[NewsCopy]

I am writing in regard to an article (in Advertiser) published in your paper on March 17 titled "UL students set to enter bird trail." The article then refers to "University of Louisiana students." I am sure that your paper is aware that when the University of Louisiana System allowed USL to change its name to ULL and NLU to change its name to ULM that it was agreed upon by all concerned that both schools would not refer to themselves as the University of Louisiana. They would always add Lafayette or Monroe to the University of Louisiana name. I feel that all reporters at your paper have an ethical obligation as professional journalists to use the correct term - University of Louisiana at Lafayette - in all articles appearing in your newspaper. Mead Whorton Bastrop The source of the story

[Hammer58]

Boo-freakin'-hoo!

[studentfan]

The one thing in this country is the right to free speech, I would write a letter to this person and tell him to go "screw" himself, because their not writing for the university.

[Cajun Express]

My heart wants us to be the University of Louisiana, but common knowlege tells me that the LSU laden legislature and the powerful LSU Alumni will never allow this.

The battle has been fought so many times with the same results. I am all for trying again and will do all that I can to promote the University of Louisiana and I will be disappointed in the end just as I have in years past.

I live in California and every school I can think of here goes by initials. There is UCLA, USC, and there is SDSU, and USD. They all do quite well in athletics and are univesally recognized.

UCLA is the University of California at Los Angeles
USC is the Univesity of Southern California
USD is the University of San Diego
SDSU is San Diego State Univesity.
Even the Univesity of California is known at times as The Univesity of California-Berkley

While I would love for us to be the Univesity of Louisina I can live with The Univesity of Louisiana-Lafayette if it comes to that

Not that I pay attention to such things, but UCB goes by Cal in sports, and Berkley when hating the USA. When I was a young whipper snapper I thought there was a University of Berkley or Berkley University that saw evil in all things USA, except of course protesting.

To become despondent and lose faith because we have tried a hundred times and failed a hundred times is in my opinion missing the point. Regardless of how often the tyrant wins, each time he loses some of his zest for the fight because the fight is not really in his best interest. Slowly ever so slowly we are winning the name war. Even today in St John Parish I get the asked which UL on my gear. I simply say Ragin'Cajuns not the Cardinals of Louisville. They get it. To those that are not anti UL I send a copy of the battle for a name.

[ShowDog]

I don't pretend to have all the answers; but as a minimum, it is a strong reminder to the university's administration that this issue remains a "hot button" for this university and its student population. Now, is it important enough to bring up in the legislature right now given the current predictiment of this state? Probably not. But at the same time; what does the state lose if "UL" loses the "@ Lafayette". Nothing! What does the state gain? Hard to determine; but it gives the "perception" that this state has other deserving institutions besides just LSU. It potentially brings more recognition to the state from people (other universitys, businesses, etc) outside the state. I have read in the past that then-USL was not supported by Memphis (as an example) to join the ranks of CUSA because our "name" was too regional. Sadly, there is more to a name than meets the eye. Right? Wrong? Beats me; but perception is reality in many circles. And this is more than about just athletics. Just that athletics is a tool that can bring attention to a university because it is often in the news. I'd simply like the university to have the ability to "compete" with other schools for quality students, staff, and yes, student-athletes, without being suppressed. And, the name change is an important part of that progress - be it perception or reality.

Hard to believe Memphis would use "too regional" as an excuse as they are not even regional but just the name of a city. We didn't get into CUSA because we had a two bit AD

[BabbForHeisman]

The following resolution was passed unanimously by SGA today in the final meeting of the year:

Spring Semester 2006
Resolution #5
Submitted by:
Chris Ledet
Brennan Castille

WHEREAS the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL) originally changed its name to the University of Louisiana (UL) on April 27, 1984. The decision was eventually overturned by state lawmakers. The official name of the university is currently the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

AND WHEREAS the university has continually proven itself worthy of the name University of Louisiana in the fields of academics, athletics, and research. This worth is constantly being proven on both a state and national level.

AND WHEREAS the name University of Louisiana would not only be more representative of the prestige and accomplishments of the university, but it would also provide for a more consistent and recognizable naming system.

AND WHEREAS the university has already become popularly know as “Louisiana” or “UL” by both local media and university supporters alike.

AND WHEREAS the students of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette were polled in the Spring 2006 SGA Elections to determine if they supported the university’s pursuit of the name University of Louisiana. A solid 72% percent of the voting members of the student body voted in support of the name change. In all, 2,391 students voted in favor of the name change, as opposed to only 940 students who voted against it.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Student Government Association, representing the student body of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, would like to urge Dr. Authement and other administrators to present the results of the student poll to the UL System Board, the Board of Regents, and the state legislature in an effort to begin the process of changing the name of our university to the University of Louisiana.

I actually attending a meeting with Dr. A this afternoon to present the resolution directly to him. He said that "this is a very good time" for this to happen because of all the potential restructuring that could happen in our state. He said that it will give us a potenital "bargaining chip," having to do with the LSU system wanted to take it Louisiana Tech. He seemed very excited about it (at least as excited as he could possibly look).

So, with that resolution, I accomplished the one goal I had in SGA. Now let's see that name change happen!