Ch-ch-ch-changes

This summer will usher in some changes for a few of our independent colleges. Colleges across the country are seeing themselves in a different light and reacting to feedback from prospective students. These changes will not affect the experience, but rather the packaging. Mount Union College in Alliance will be known as University of Mount Union starting August 1, 2010 and Otterbein College in Westerville will follow shortly thereafter and be known as Otterbein University when classes start in the the fall of 2010. Otterbein's logo is expected to remain the same, with "college" being replaced by "university." Both campuses have done extensive research and determined that incorporating "university" into the name will be beneficial to attracting new students. A few reasons given for the change:

- “University” is considered to be more academically rigorous

- Prospective students are more attracted to “universities”

- Internationally, “university” is synonymous with higher education

- “University” is better reflective of the current academic and organizational structure

Another campus has also decided to change its name to reflect its respective area and unify itself with sister institutions. Recognizing the global nature of the Antioch brand and seeking to better unify its five adult-focused campuses in four U.S. states, Antioch University has developed a new logo and name to best reflect this unity - Antioch University McGregor in Yellow Springs is now known as Antioch University Midwest.

Finally, another college will cease to exist as an independent college. On August 15, MedCentral College of Nursing in Mansfield, founded in 1997 but existing as a nursing diploma program since 1919, will be merged into Ashland University, which is in Ashland but has multiple campuses across the state.

—Dustin Holfinger