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Contact: University Communications & Marketing
Phone (678) 839-6464, FAX (678) 839-6645
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University of West Georgia officially changes name
January 12, 2005
CARROLLTON, GA - It is now official! On January 12, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) voted to approve a name change for the University of West Georgia. The institution will now be known as the University of West Georgia (UWG).
Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president, stated, “Rarely have I seen as much consistency of opinion on any issue as I have on the matter of the desired name for our University. Alumni, faculty, staff, students, supporters and friends from the community were all strongly supportive of the change of name to the University of West Georgia. We have actively sought this change since 1996, and are very grateful to Chancellor Thomas Meredith, Senior Vice Chancellor Dan Papp, and the entire Board of Regents for making it possible.”
The name “University of West Georgia” is longer and more cumbersome than students and other constituencies would like. The new name is more appropriate to the times and the stature of the University.
“UWG has had a stand-alone doctoral program since the Fall of 2000 and our new name better reflects our existing academic programming,” Sethna noted.
He pointed out that some public institutions include the word “state” in their name so as not to confuse them with private universities. “However, even without the “state” in our name, there is no danger of confusing UWG with a private institution. Since we already have the name of the state, Georgia, in our name and ‘The University System of Georgia’ is a part of our tag line, we are clearly identified as a public/state institution of higher education. A third indicator seems like overkill,” Sethna explained.
As UWG approaches the centennial celebration of its founding in 1906, this name change reflects the historical maturation of the institution. Established as the Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School, it became West Georgia College in 1931 when an act by the Board of Regents designated it as a junior college.
In 1957, the institution was authorized to confer the B.S. degree in education, making it a four-year senior college unit of the USG. In 1967, graduate programs were approved at the master’s level.
In 1996, the Board of Regents officially changed the name of West Georgia College to University of West Georgia, and in 1999, the College of Education was authorized to offer UWG’s first doctorate.
Costs for implementing the name change will be primarily limited to signage. Estimates total approximately $5,000 for new entrance signs to the campus. Sethna has requested that departments deplete current stocks of stationery, business cards, etc., prior to printing new supplies.
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