Majority opposes WVU-P name change

PARKERSBURG - The majority of people taking an online survey on the future of West Virginia University of Parkersburg voted against a name change for the local college.

Among those who voted for a name change, Parkersburg State College was the second-most chosen option, right behind "Other."

More than 800 people took the online survey, which asked questions ranging from the significance of WVU-P's use of the West Virginia University name and logo to possible names should the college not sign a trademark agreement with WVU.

About 86 percent of those who responded said the name of the college was considered "very important" to the future of the school. About 81 percent said the board of governors should not rename the school.

"When you take a look at it, the question of should the board change the name, it was pretty strongly 'no,' " said WVU-P spokeswoman Connie Dziagwa. "The survey also shows people are very passionate about this discussion."

"If we change the name, the majority of people aren't going to be happy," said board chairman Joe Campbell. "I think we've got to take that into consideration."

The WVU-P Board of Governors Monday voted to accept a Memorandum of Understanding with WVU, making the Parkersburg college an affiliated campus of the university, but agreed to renew a request for a change of language in a trademark agreement with WVU.

The trademark agreement, already approved by WVU's board, places a two-year time limit on use of the name and logo, asking the local board to renegotiate their use in 2011.

The local board has said that language puts the college in a perilous situation, as state law only gives them the ability to rename the college before July 1 of this year. After that, any name change would be decided by the state Community and Technical College Commission, which would rename the school as a community college.

About 690 of the survey takers responded to a question concerning a new name for the college. Parkersburg State College received the second greatest amount of votes, about 34.3 percent. Augusta College and Vandalia College, both named after pieces of West Virginia and local history, trailed well behind with only 7.8 and 7.1 percent of the vote respectively.

The College of Parkersburg received 5.7 percent of the vote, while The College at Parkersburg brought in only 2.5 percent.

Nearly 43 percent of those who responded to the question chose "Other" and the ability to enter their own name suggestion.

However, what officials received was nearly 300 comments ranging from endorsements of the college's current name to criticisms of the suggested names to questions over why the process has moved so quickly. Only about half the comments included name suggestions, with ideas ranging from Arthur I. Boreman College to Marshall at Parkersburg to George Washington College. Many used "University" in the suggested name, even though the college does not qualify for university status.

"They were kind of all over the map," Dziagwa said. "We just put in some suggestions of names, not because those were the only names we were considering, but more to get people talking."

"I don't think that is totally surprising to use with it being all over the board," Campbell said. "It does show there is interest in keeping the name, but there is not interest if we lose all control over the name.

"It also tells us what people don't want in the name," he said.

The survey only showed a clear majority of votes in a few areas, the most notable being the college's four-year programs. Nearly 93 percent of those who responded said it was very important for the college to add more four-year degrees to its course offerings. Just over 1 percent said it was either somewhat unimportant or not important.

"That may be the loudest thing that was said in the whole survey," Campbell said.

"I think it reinforces what we already know," Dziagwa said. "We already are looking at adding some additional four-year programs within the year. There is a need here that we are looking to serve.

Among those who took the survey, about 59 percent were WVU-P students. More than 17 percent were alumni and nearly 16 percent were faculty or staff. Members of the community made up about 18 percent of those who took the survey. Only 4 percent described themselves as potential students.

Member Comments

View Comments: | 1-8 | Post a comment

yolarry
05-22-09 3:58 AM »Report Abuse	put WVU-P back or I not going to collage there. Plan and simple!
20fan4u
05-21-09 12:58 AM »Report Abuse	PCC. Go back to its original name.
greetingsyall
05-21-09 12:17 AM »Report Abuse	CTM..you are right..I agree with Manchin on most issues..but this one was STUPIDDDDDDDD!
CTMountaineer
05-20-09 11:51 AM »Report Abuse	Having this forced down our throats by the Manchin administration is beyond stupid. Almost nobody wanted WVU-P administratively separated like this. Manchin just created a whole new layer of bureaucracy within the higher education system that he can use to reward cronies for supporting him. In the process, he has done great damage to our colleges and universities. A petition should be started to put WVU-P back where it obviously belongs.
greetingsyall
05-20-09 10:15 AM »Report Abuse	Sweet Rose College of Wood County Parkersburg
CamInRavenswood
05-20-09 9:42 AM »Report Abuse	A famous quote comes to mind..... What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;
CrazyLarryJones
05-20-09 8:05 AM »Report Abuse	Rt. 47 University and Carry Out.
WVCommissioner
05-20-09 6:20 AM »Report Abuse	College of West Virginia

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