RU OK? University of Rochester almost changed its name nearly 50 years ago
For various reasons, lots of colleges have decided they would like to be universities. Locally, St. John Fisher, once a college, is now a university, as is Roberts Wesleyan. Reaction, as far as I can tell, has been positive.
Rochester College, a small private institution in Rochester Hills, Michigan, has become Rochester University (RU), as well. Though — wait a minute — our own University of Rochester (UR) is saying, “not so fast.”
As Justin Murphy of the Democrat and Chronicle reported recently, UR has sued RU for trademark infringement.
“UR accuses Rochester University of damaging its brand and causing confusion among prospective students and the public,” Murphy wrote.
Some of this confusion may be internet-related. UR’s homepage is www.rochester.edu. RU’s is www.rochesteru.edu. The schools are one keystroke apart.
Full disclosure, I’ve taught journalism at UR as an adjunct professor for years. My habits are so set that I don’t think I’ll find myself driving to Rochester University next spring to begin teaching. In other words, the name change isn’t confusing me.
But the tussle over the name does remind me that there was a time when the University of Rochester had an identity crisis, when its officials contemplated changing the school’s name, dropping “Rochester” altogether.
It was 1986 and the university had hired a consultant to see if its name was leading to a lag in admissions applications.
The consultants surveyed high school students, UR students, faculty, and alumni, lots of people. They found that the name, University of Rochester, was creating an unclear image of the school.
It seemed that having a city in its title might lead people to assume that the University of Rochester was, heaven forbid, a public university, rather than a “distinguished private institution.”
Beyond that, the surveys showed that the name “Rochester” suggested a “cold and distant outpost,” a city far from the power centers of New York City and Washington.
When the consultant’s conclusions became public, there was pushback. The mayor was miffed, as was the Chamber of Commerce.
Lots of people resented the embedded swipe at state institutions. They were also offended by the characterization of Rochester as a cold and distant outpost, even though they conceded that the winters could be rough. (That’s why the UR has all those tunnels.)
In one day, 70 people weighed in on the name change by calling the Democrat and Chronicle’s “Speaking out Line.” Of them, 58 were opposed to dropping the name; 12 were in favor.
Some of their responses were duly reported by Michael Winerip of the New York Times, a former Rochester Times-Union reporter, whose story gave the name-change debate national prominence.
The Speaking Out callers did suggest alternatives to the “University of Rochester.”
Perhaps tongue-in-cheek, Allen M. Worob offered his name as “Allen M. Worob University” would not bring to mind a cold and distant outpost.
More seriously, another caller thought “Eastman University” would work as it would celebrate Kodak founder George Eastman’s contributions to the university. “Douglass University” in honor of the abolitionist Frederick Douglass appealed to another caller.
Despite the general opposition to any name change, Dennis O’Brien, the UR’s president, was on the side of considering a rebranding, though he didn’t publicly side with any one name.
This led Dick Dougherty, the Times-Union columnist, to propose that UR become “O’Brien’s.” To Dougherty, as noted by Winerip, the name “O’Brien’s” suggested “a warm and friendly place where people gather to ponder the world’s problems. In other words, a saloon.”
Winerip did report that some UR administrators were upbeat about a name change. Foreshadowing today’s controversy, one even suggested switching to Rochester University, a name that, in her opinion, sounded less like a public institution.
In the end, the UR trustees decided to stay with the tried-and-true. UR remained the University of Rochester, a trademark that may or may now have been violated. Let the lawyers decide.
From his home in Geneseo, Livingston County, retired senior editor Jim Memmott, writes Remarkable Rochester, who we were, who we are. He can be reached at jmemmott@gannett.com or write Box 274, Geneseo, NY 14454
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: UR vs. RU: University of Rochester almost changed name 50 years ago
