COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Change is on the horizon for students and faculty at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents voted to change the name of Texas A&M University-Commerce to East Texas A&M University on Thursday. The vote count was not made public.
What does this mean?
Well, A&M University-Commerce, one of 11 A&M campuses across the state, won't be able to instantly change its name tomorrow. Instead, the school will have several months to transition to the new name.
The transition involves updates to the school's branding, signage, website, URL, email addresses and communication materials, among other things. Members of the community as well as university stakeholders will be contacted throughout e transition, according to the release.
Why do this?
The Board of Regents believes the new name better suits the university's commitment to serve the educational needs of rural and urban East Texas communities.
“We believe that this name change will better reflect our heritage and mission while allowing us to connect more deeply with the communities we serve,” President of East Texas A&M University Mark Rudin said.
“This is not just about a name; it’s about creating a stronger, more unified vision for our future,” Rudin continued.
Fellow board member and Chancellor John Sharp called it a mistake to have the school be identified by 'Commerce.'
"It always should have been ET! East Texas A&M restores the historic pride to a great university," Sharp added.
Lastly, the board hopes the name change will increase recognition within East Texas, and ultimately strengthen the program's identity.
“The growth and success of A&M-Commerce over the past several years have been remarkable. However, we must enhance our identity and outreach to continue building on this foundation. Changing the university’s name is a crucial step in our broader strategy to serve our state better," Chair of the Board of Regents Bill Mahomes said.