What’s in a name? If it’s Georgia Regents University, it’s what’s not in the name. Augusta.
While none of the names of the four newly merged Georgia colleges and universities is that inspiring, one is turning out to be downright polarizing.
Folks in Augusta are livid over the outcome of the consolidation of Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University. The decision to christen the new entity Georgia Regents University is drawing fire as this Facebook protest page indicates.
Why, people are asking, was Augusta erased from the name? What’s odd is that the other three new merged schools reference their regions in their names, South Georgia State College, the University of North Georgia and Middle Georgia State College.
As Augusta Chronicle sportswriter Chris Gay wrote,
“I guess we should congratulate the Board of Regents on the birth of their son today because many of us will now call this new university ‘Georgia Board of Regents University.’ How narcissistic can you get? We should all call this new university ‘Junior.’ University of Augusta may not mean much others, but for we Augustans and the many others who graduated from Augusta College or Augusta State University it means a lot. Thanks to Dr. Azziz, the Georgia Board of Regents and others who could care less about Augusta for showing blatant disregard to our community today with this tomfoolish name — Georgia Regents University.”
The choice of Georgia Regents University also led to a stern letter from Regent University in Virginia asking the Georgia Board of Regents to reconsider the name.
In a letter to the Georgia Board of Regents, an attorney for Regent University wrote:
Regent University just learned that the agenda for the August 7, 2012, meeting of the Georgia Board of Regents includes a resolution for the approval of the name “Georgia Regents University” as the new name for the consolidated institution of Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University. We believe that any use by your institution of the mark “Georgia Regents University” in the United States is likely to cause confusion with Regent University’s REGENT UNIVERSITY trademarks.
Such use is also likely to lead persons to believe that the Georgia Regents University and its educational services are in some way associated with or endorsed by REGENT UNIVERSITY. Further, such use will serve to dilute Regent University’s trademarks. Please note that Regent University would like to resolve this matter with your institution amicably.
Therefore, we request that the Board of Regents select another name for use as the new name for the consolidated institution of Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University.
In an editorial, the Augusta Chronicle explains why the choice is so upsetting to Augustans:
The name has zero relevance to anything and even less appeal. It’s not a nod to any person, place or thing – other than, perhaps the state Board of Regents which approved it.
It’s hard to imagine “Georgia Regents University” engendering the kind of emotional connection one normally associates with an alma mater. Certainly the local community will have a tougher time welling up affection for an institution that used to have Augusta in its name but no longer does.
Even so, Georgia Regents? Really? That’s the best they can do after half a year of posturing and polling?
If it’s mandatory to get “Georgia” in the name, what about Georgia Arts and Sciences University, one of the three finalists the regents chose from? Or Georgia International University? Or, of course, the clear-cut most popular and most obvious name: The University of Augusta.
But Georgia Regents? They chose the absolute worst option of the three.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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107 comments Add your comment
SP
August 8th, 2012
4:24 pm
The consolidated universities of Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University should be named the University of Augusta. The medical school would be well recognized if the university did a major advertising campaign satewide and in major television markets throughout the southeast. Just remind everybody that they have THE flagship medical college in Georgia.
CommonSenseRules
August 8th, 2012
4:26 pm
I just want to point out to everyone that ALL of this is about that most invidious of marriages: money & power, which, when I think of it, may actually be a redundancy — whose power and whose money (or, lack of same) always is what is at issue. It’s what all political foaming at the mouth always has been about. If one has ‘more’ $$, one gives birth to whatever will protect and increase it. If one has less than one believes is one’s due, then the twins to whom one gives birth are envy and resentment; grandchildren grow up to be deflection and blame.
The original Tea Party, along with its latter-day political namesake, never was about democracy, justice or fairness — nor even taxation without representation. It was about the most sacred founding principles of the Republic: the acquisition, retention and control of money and power.
bu2
August 8th, 2012
4:33 pm
It really does sound like a mail order school. Either of the other names is much better. So is Augusta State or Georgia State-Augusta or University of East Georgia or University Just West of South Carolina. Or Georgia A&M University-just that it would be Arts and Medical instead of Agricultural and Mechanical.
Ralph
August 8th, 2012
4:37 pm
Then of course there is the potential for confusion with Regent University, Pat Robertson’s school in Virginia Beach. https://www.regent.edu/
Yellow Jacket 89
August 8th, 2012
4:41 pm
You can let the Regents know how you feel about their decision.
http://www.usg.edu/regents/members
Janice
August 8th, 2012
4:48 pm
Augusta State University is NOT a part of UGA. People keep getting the University of GA confused with the University System of GA, which is NOT the same thing. So forget that crap about UGA-Augusta! Secondly, the two schools should NEVER have been merged because they are apples and oranges. Both schools have been involved in major construction and development of new programs, with rising enrollments. If the purpose was to save money, then it should have been left alone. This reeks of back rooms deals, and underhanded politics. But something tells me that Dr. Azziz and the GABOR will soon discover like Admiral Yamamoto ~ “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Gary
August 8th, 2012
4:49 pm
There is no way that a name like Regents was any kind of finalist in a popular survey to name the school. What motivation would there be for anyone to vote for that? The only one I can think of is that self serving board members thought that would be the thing to do. Why would anyone else even consider it? It doesnt represent anything georgia or academic. Try again regents, your name sux.
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Georgians for Educational Excellence
August 8th, 2012
4:57 pm
In considering this “dispute,” two quotes come to mind:
“Much ado about nothing.”
“Making a mountain out of a molehill.”
point to ponder
August 8th, 2012
5:14 pm
somebody has being blowing smoke up someone’s @#!#…..wasted time and money…no name change was ever warranted…the combining of the schools was never warranted (*to save money they said…won’t happen…smoke and mirrors!) The Board of Regents are seriously delusional…someone persuaded them that this was the right decision….hmmmm, let’s see…Dr. Azzizz! And the Board ignored all other rational thought…I guess it’s a good thing we don’t have a Regent board member from Augusta because after this vote that member would have to leave town!
The only folks who support this change work for the institutions or the Board of Regents and will keep quiett their true feelings or get fired!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 8th, 2012
5:34 pm
These are the same regents who approved the opening of a medical school in Athens and, even worse than that, the addition of engineering to the curriculum in Athens. Empire-builder Adams wants it all, and the board of regents kisses his azz every time he bends over. Both additions in Athens cost untold millions of tax-payer money, and now two name changes in Augusta in 3 years will cost us even more. And what do we the tax-payers get out of it? Not a damn thing except two mediocre new “colleges” in Athens, and a stupid new name for two unnecessarily linked schools in Augusta. PATHETIC !!!!
And point to ponder is right: if anybody at either of the two schools dares to complain, they will be fired.
Ben There
August 8th, 2012
5:34 pm
I graduated from what was Augusta State University and then spent over a decade working at what was the Medical College of Georgia and I am bitterly dissapointed in the Board of Regent’s choice of GRU.
Just as our neighbors in Alabama and South Carolina have done with Auburn University and Clemson University, the state of Georgia would have done well to name one of their larger Universities the same as the city the University is located in.
To say that Augusta University does not adequately project a substantial image to the rest of the world just goes to show how out of touch and convoluted the Board of Regents thinking is. The Board’s forcing the name GRU on this newly merged university created and maintained over generations by fellow Augustans, who are forever overshadowed by Atlantans and UGA graduates (like most every member of the Board of Regents are), is highly and unforgivably insulting to those of us who have supported these schools with our time, loyalty, and dollars all of these years.
To hell with the Board of Regents!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 8th, 2012
5:45 pm
@ Ben There……AMEN, brother !!!
Another Voice
August 8th, 2012
5:45 pm
Th eincreasing out-of-touch and irrelevant Regents show their inability to deal with the important matters in Georgia’s higher education … remedial students enrolled in colleges and wasting resources, the increasing costs that are preventing students from getting the quality education they deserve, or any number of other issues. They couldn’t see the spiralling problems that resulted from HOPE scholarship funds flowing into schools and driving demand – although the rest of us saw that in the mid-90’s.
This renaming is ridiculous. Focus on the important issues. Go with Augusta University, and if there’s such a demand for it, name the graduate schools (such as the medical school) with names that have appropriate context … i.e., The School of Medicine at August University … or Medical University of Georgia at Augusta University.
And by God, MOVE ON!
MCG Grad
August 8th, 2012
6:00 pm
The name change from MCG to GHSU was a vanity project of President Azziz. A huge waste of money and now moot just two years later. I understand the need to consolidate administration, but why change the name at all. The same company owns and runs KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. I don’t see them running to change their name to Choke and Puke.
bootney farnsworth
August 8th, 2012
6:02 pm
@ supersize,
you’re more on target than you think
Sam the Sham
August 8th, 2012
6:10 pm
Terrible name. Regents raised tuition recently to give students the impression that they were getting a better education (if you pay as much as a better college, you will feel like your college is just as good??), and then name a good school after a Virginia on-line college.
Only in Georgia
Supersize that order, mutt
August 8th, 2012
6:17 pm
@ Sam…..no, they named it after themselves…..a bunch of head-up-their-azz stuffed shirts
bootney farnsworth
August 8th, 2012
6:29 pm
schools with city names which have done well for themselves
Auburn
Clemson
Louisville
Chicago
New York
Syracuse
Boston College
Annapolis
UCLA
Miami
Youngstown St.
Bowdion
Davidson
Memphis
Jacksonville St
Elizabeth City St
Boise St
College of Charleston
Kent State
Minot St.
Houston
San Jose St.
Tuskegee
and those are just off the top of my head.
God knows we wouldn’t want Regents Ego Stroke university to be in that company…
morons
bootney farnsworth
August 8th, 2012
6:31 pm
@ Maureen
any chance you know – or can find out- the qualifications to be on the board of regents?
it seems pretty obvious the real qualifications are who you know, but what are they allegedly?
between GPC and this mess, these folks have lots of explaining to do.
bootney farnsworth
August 8th, 2012
6:37 pm
more I think about it, GRU is actually a pretty honest representation of things in the old USG.
step out of line, ask the wrong question, they WILL make you go away
Johnny
August 8th, 2012
6:38 pm
Fire the chancellor and replace the BOR. NO to SOUTH GEORGIA STATE COLLEGE. It was supposed to be a merger not a takeover..
Jason
August 8th, 2012
6:45 pm
Was ‘Georgia Pencil Pushing Administrators University’ already taken?
bootney farnsworth
August 8th, 2012
6:48 pm
“We Just Don’t Give a Damn if You’re Not Georgia” doesn’t have a catchy shorthand.
Jason
August 8th, 2012
6:50 pm
The State of Georgia is worried about cities getting too uppity and having too much attention. We’re a very anti-urban state even amongst those who live in urban areas. So the state insists on having the word ‘Georgia’ in as many names as possible. Don’t be suprised if Kennesaw State and Valdosta State are forced into equally bad names in the next decade. It really smacks of a huge inferiority complex on the part of the state. It’s sad when states like Alabama and South Carolina can have public universities with names like Auburn, Clemson, and Troy while Georgia is too vain to allow anything like that.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 8th, 2012
7:23 pm
@ bootney……membership on the Board of Regents is totally selective, NOT elective. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the members are some kind of political repayment. You can probably tell from my name that I am a Tech fan, but I live in Augusta and grew up here. I realize that most people in Augusta who follow college athletics are UGA fans, but take a look at the Board of Regents throughout history, and you will see that the vast majority of them are UGA grads, and they don’t give a damn about any other school than UGA. My dislike for them really has nothing to do with my school allegiance, but they have put the screws to Tech many times in the past too. So it really shouldn’t come as any surprise to anybody that they will put the screws to any other college which MIGHT threaten their precious university. Take a look at the ongoing attempt to steal the medical college from Augusta, and that will show you what they think of Augusta or anything in it.
Chip
August 8th, 2012
8:22 pm
Dr. Ricardo Azziz, the Board of Regents, and the Chancellor are all idiots!
Supersize that order, mutt
August 8th, 2012
8:25 pm
I am definitely beginning to think that about Azziz. I thought at first he was really doing a good job here, but I don’t think so much of him anymore
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Georgians for Educational Excellence
August 8th, 2012
8:43 pm
Dr. Azziz, a South America-born hard-charger, is a big-time thinker and doer who is living in My Hometown where thinking and doing by anyone who is not “a native blueblood” or who does not aspire to that curious status are unwelcome.
Unfortunately, I fear that may of my fellow Augustans don’t appreciate the opportunity which outsider Rick Azziz’s ambitious efforts have provided Our Hometown.
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Georgians for Educational Excellence
August 8th, 2012
8:44 pm
OOPS: Line 5- “many” for “may.”
Hillbilly D
August 8th, 2012
9:14 pm
membership on the Board of Regents is totally selective, NOT elective. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the members are some kind of political repayment.
I’d be surprised if they weren’t.
Supersize that order, mutt
August 8th, 2012
9:14 pm
@ Spinks……I can understand what you are saying in a general sense. But I don’t think he is doing ANYTHING for Augusta, per se. I think he’s doing it for himself. I fear he is power hungry, and once he’s gotten what HE wants, he’s outta here for something else, Augusta be damned
Lee
August 8th, 2012
9:29 pm
Let’s see, out of state tuition, which should be the unsubsidized real cost of a public university, has risen FIVE TIMES the rate of inflation at Georgia’s flagship UGA in the ten years 2001-10. But the big crisis is what to call a few podunk colleges scattered across the state.
Way to go, Regents. Y’all are doing a great job!
Reallllyyyy.
Beverly Fraud
August 8th, 2012
9:41 pm
Well…since brand name matters, and we want the university to have a wide appeal:
UNIVERSE UNIVERSITY!
bootney farnsworth
August 8th, 2012
9:47 pm
@ supersize
I’ve known for some time the regents are totally selective, and UGA centric to a fault. but I can’t help but wonder if there is something supposedly resembling a guideline for appointment
the regents are somewhere between irresponsible and criminally negligent. if Fran Millar and co really wanted to do something besides complain and posture, they’d start with fixing the train wreck called the BOR
bootney farnsworth
August 8th, 2012
9:50 pm
@ beverly
how about Not Bulldog Material State?
smart dawg
August 8th, 2012
10:51 pm
Some of the MCG alums were in favor of honoring a famous son of Augusta
“James Brown Downtown College of Knowledge”
The motto—”I feel good”
GRU? Gastric Reflux Univ.
Puke U.
Yellow Jacket 89
August 8th, 2012
11:03 pm
Smart Dawg – As an MCG alum, I like your suggestion!
smart dawg
August 8th, 2012
11:57 pm
Yellow Jacket 89, as an MCG grad, should your resume say graduate of MCG, GHSU, and GRU? Or should it say none of the above? Your school no longer exists??? Do we have to have our diplomas redone?
Yellow Jacket 89
August 9th, 2012
12:09 am
Smart Dawg, So far I still list MCG on my CV and credentialing committees don’t seem to care. However it would more likely be a source of confusion if I were practicing outside of Georgia. I also imagine as more time elapses since the name change, MCG will no longer be recognized as the institution from which I received my medical degree. I may have to change it to the James Brown Downtown College of Knowledge, as you suggested!
smart dawg
August 9th, 2012
12:35 am
YJ 89, my moniker is an oxymoron—see you at BDS/GF!
Tomasz
August 9th, 2012
12:49 am
Disaster!!! I’d rather see New University of Georgia than this idiotic Regents’ U!
Tomasz
August 9th, 2012
1:22 am
This is a disaster! How could anyone lead to such idiotic, bland, and cheap sounding libel of a name as Ga Regents’ University! I must say that I will not update my resume out of fear of radicule, misunderstanding, and need of further explaining what once was great – especially in the name. “It’s all in the name, isn’t this what you preach Mr. Azziz!
Katie
August 9th, 2012
8:38 am
Regarding the population size: Consider that Atlanta proper is not merely the city of Atlanta, but the larger region including smaller suburbs and cities that make up the Greater Atlanta Area. Yes, the population of Augusta proper is roughly 200K people; however, like Atlanta, also has a greater trade area of suburbs and cities including North Augusta, SC (only across the river – less than a mile away from downtown Augusta), Martinez, Evans, Hephzibah, Grovetown, Harlem and even Thompson. According to the Census Bureau, Atlanta, GA only had around 550,000 peole in 2009. We all know that the Greater Atlanta Area really does figure in to the identity of Atlanta, as the Greater Augusta Region (or CSRA) figures into the identity of Augusta.
Stunned
August 9th, 2012
8:48 am
The Board of Regents have combined the standard of not listening, with alienating constituents, and a dash of medical ingenuity (with a nod to friends & alumni of MCG) with a mighty fine GRUnema. Dr. Azziz adds that we won’t feel a thing & that it is best for our future.
Mitch
August 9th, 2012
2:38 pm
The Citizens spesk again. Just like Transp Tax issue. Maybe it is a protest against:
*Taking more than four years to get a four year degree.
*Big football schools. Less academics. Outrageous coaches salaries.
*Too much prognasticating for the future (100 or more years from now)
*Over paid and under performing professors and staff
*Present Regents organization was set up eighty years ago and has not been upgraded since.
*Nothing meaningfl from the colleges on our declining economics or jobs situation.
The esteemed Board of Regents need to take a hard look at their poor performance and take some positive action to be accountable for the increasing costs, student loan mess, and general decline in education.
Blazer exiled in Kansas
August 9th, 2012
5:40 pm
Let us not forget that these mergers came on the heels of the resoundingly disastrous mergers in the Technical College System. The entire BOR should be sacked for emulating that train wreck in the first place.
Augusta resident
August 10th, 2012
12:40 pm
Funny how the BoR just “donated” $45million to the school the day before…..
ja
August 11th, 2012
12:29 am
Maybe the wisdom of the Board of Regents will rub off on our local County Board of Education. Lets merge all the highschools in the county and name it “Board of Education Highschool.” They would be so proud of themselves.
Stunned
August 11th, 2012
9:15 am
Azziz caught in a huge lie as University of Augusta IS the most preferred name. http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2012-08-10/records-show-university-augusta-was-most-preferred?v=1344652864
Augustan
August 11th, 2012
9:59 am
The following is a comment I sent to the Board of Regents website:
Please revisit your selection of the embarrassingly self-congratulatory name “Georgia Regents University”. Recent information reported in The Augusta Chronicle shows that it was far from the best choice suggested by unbiased research. Your naming fiat casts a pall on the integrity of the Board of Regents, and does not serve Dr. Azziz well. Here are the legitimate questions the recent information raises:
1. How long ago did someone (or some group) actually decide the name was to be Georgia Regents?
2. Who told whom to make sure “Georgia Regents U.” was on the final list of 3 names?
3. Was the expenditure of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars to explore the best choice for the new name an act of fiscal fraud perpetuated on Georgia taxpayers? Are there grounds for legal action?
4. Even though we now know “University of Augusta” was the name all unbiased studies indicated would serve the school best, was it never seriously considered because it would hinder eventually moving the medical school’s main campus to the alma mater of the vast majority of Board members?
I would genuinely appreciate specific responses to the above questions. I assure you, I’m not alone in harboring them. Even if they go unanswered, they are not unasked in the minds of thousands of people.