MU sought the change to promote the university's historical significance.
Published Nov. 30, 2007
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The UM system Board of Curators unanimously agreed on Thursday to allow MU to use the name University of Missouri in certain public relations functions, but the university will retain its demographic name in official correspondence.
The movement for the name restoration began in May when the co-chairpersons of the For All We Call Mizzou Campaign Steering Committee wrote a letter asking Chancellor Brady Deaton to move forward with the elimination of the regional designation in MU's official name.
Deaton said that's when the movement to "restore the roar" began.
"I think you're hearing that roar on all fronts," Deaton said after the name restoration was approved.
Deaton said the change would help to recognize the school's historical significance.
"I feel this is a very appropriate way to go about," he said.
According to the amended regulation passed by the curators in an 8-0 vote, MU can use the shortened name in communications for recruitment, fundraising, alumni relations, marketing, athletics and other public relations communication.
MU will still have the regional designation as a part of the official campus name in what the amended regulation refers to as "official correspondence."
UM system spokesman Scott Charton said examples of this would include forms to the state or legal letters involving MU.
"They still have the hyphen," he said.
Tony Luetkemeyer, student representative to the Board of Curators, said the provision does not change all that much.
"The change to the collected rules just recognizes what is already a reality," Luetkemeyer said.
Board of Curators Chairman Don Walsworth also said the name restoration for MU will provide some consistency in how it is referred to by the public.
"It confirms what people already know through athletics and other things," Walsworth said.
During the meeting, Walsworth said he looked at the letterhead of 10 different schools at MU. Of those, only one included the regional designation.
Charton said this was done to recognize the historic status of MU.
"We are recognizing that they first had the name University of Missouri," Charton said.
Numerous student, faculty and alumni groups have called for the name restoration, including the Mizzou Alumni Association and the Mizzou Flagship Council.
Mizzou Flagship Council Director Dianne Drainer said her group has been in favor of the change from the start.
"We're pleased that they have restored their historical name," Drainer said. "It's a great Christmas present."
UM-St. Louis Student Government Association President Bryan Goers said the name change could hurt the other campuses within the UM system.
"It's better than the original, but we still have concerns," Goers said.