What's in a name change

[CajunSaint08]

UL has been the only university in this state to face backlash from changing it's name, and asking to be referred to as The University of Louisiana, UL, Louisiana, or Louisiana's Ragin Cajuns. But 9 other universities have changed their name and never received any kind of criticism whatsoever and one university has not changed its name but wants to be "referred" to a shorter version of its official name.

So this might help fight fire with fire....

Louisiana College name changes

A. Grambling State University

Name Changes
Grambling State University has had six major name changes since its founding in 1901, reflecting shifts in its mission, funding, and academic scope.
Chronological list of names.

1. 1. Colored Industrial and Agricultural School (1901–1905)
   Founded on November 1, 1901, by the North Louisiana Colored Agriculture Relief Association with assistance from Booker T. Washington. It began as a small industrial school west of present-day Grambling.
2. 2. North Louisiana Agricultural and Industrial School (1905–1928)
   Renamed in 1905 after moving to its current location in Grambling.
3. 3. Lincoln Parish Training School (1918–1928)
   In 1918, it became a full-fledged parish training school after state support for one teacher was added annually
4. 4. Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute (1928–1946)
   Became a state junior college in 1928, offering two-year professional certificates and diplomas, and later a four-year elementary education program.
5. 5. Grambling College (1946–1974)
   Named in 1946 after P.G. Grambling, the land donor. Expanded beyond teacher education to include sciences, liberal arts, and business programs
6. 6. Grambling State University (1974–present)
   Elevated to university status in 1974 after adding graduate programs in early childhood and elementary education, and approved by the Louisiana Legislature

B. Southern University

• Main university name:

1. Southern University for Colored Students (1880–1890) →
2. Southern University (1890–present, with relocation in 1914) →
3. Southern University and A&M College (current).

C. Tulane University

Name Changes —

History and ProcessC. Tulane University has changed its official name twice since its founding, and students can request legal name changes through the Registrar’s Office.
Historical name changes of Tulane University
Tulane’s name has evolved over more than two centuries:
1. Medical College of Louisiana (1834–1847) — Founded in 1834 by a group of physicians as a medical school
2. University of Louisiana (1847–1884) — Became a public university under the Louisiana state legislature in 1847
3. Tulane University of Louisiana (1884–present) — Became private under the endowments of philanthropist Paul Tulane (1884) and Josephine Louise Newcomb (1887)
Today, it is commonly referred to simply as Tulane University.

D. Nicholls State University

Name ChangesNicholls State University has undergone three official name changes since its founding in 1948, reflecting shifts in its academic status and legal recognition.
Chronology of Name Changes
1. Francis T. Nicholls Junior College (1948–1956) – The institution opened on September 23, 1948, as Francis T. Nicholls Junior College of Louisiana State University, named for Governor and Confederate general Francis Redding Tillou Nicholls
2. Francis T. Nicholls State College (1956–1970) – In 1956, the Louisiana Legislature separated Nicholls from LSU and authorized it to offer four‑year programs. The name changed to Francis T. Nicholls State College in September 1956, and it granted its first degrees in May 1958
3. Nicholls State University (1970–present) – In 1970, Act 93 of the Louisiana State Legislature renamed the school Nicholls State University, a change that remains in effect today.

E. Northwestern Louisiana

College Name ChangesNorthwestern State University of Louisiana has undergone three major name changes since its founding in 1884, most recently in 1970 when it became a university.
Full Name History

1. 1. Louisiana State Normal School (1884–1944) – Founded in 1884 as the first state school in Louisiana dedicated to teacher training
2. 2. Louisiana State Normal College (1921–1944) – In 1921, the school expanded to offer four‑year degrees and was renamed to reflect its broader academic role
3. 3. Northwestern State College of Louisiana (1944–1970) – Renamed in 1944 to highlight its location and growing academic offerings
4. 4. Northwestern State University of Louisiana (1970–present) – Officially became a university in 1970, marking its transition to a comprehensive institution

F. Louisiana State University and Agriculture and Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, LA (LSU)

LSU was founded as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy (1853–1861), founded near Pineville, Louisiana. Operations moved to Baton Rouge in November 1869, and the name was officially changed in 1874 to Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College, formed after merging with the A&M College. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (1877–present) is the final official legal and corporate name, but commonly known as Louisiana State University (LSU). Wikipedia also states that it was the University of Louisiana from 1913-1922, something I had never heard before. That would conflict with its statement that its official legal and corporate name was from 1877-present.
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College,^[8] commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,

G. The University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM)

Chronological Name Changes

1. 1. 1931 – Ouachita Parish Junior College
   ULM was founded as a local junior college serving Ouachita Parish in Louisiana
2. 2. 1934 – Northeast Center of Louisiana State University
   The institution became affiliated with Louisiana State University as its Northeast Center
3. 3. 1939 – Northeast Junior College of Louisiana State University
   The name was updated to reflect its junior college status under LSU’s administration
4. 4. 1950 – Northeast Louisiana State College
   The college became an autonomous four-year institution, authorized to grant academic degrees, and control was transferred from LSU to the Louisiana State Board of Education
5. 5. 1970 – Northeast Louisiana University (NLU)
   Following the awarding of its first doctoral degrees in 1969, the institution was elevated to university status by the Louisiana Legislature
6. 6. 1999 – University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM)
   Under the University of Louisiana System and following a 1995 state law, NLU officially changed its name to ULM on August 27, 1999. This change aligned with a system-wide policy requiring universities to adopt the "University of Louisiana" designation with a geographic identifier.McNeese State University Name Changes

H. McNeese State University

Historical Name Changes

• 1. 1939 – Lake Charles Junior College: Founded by the Louisiana Legislature in 1938, it opened its first fall session on September 11, 1939, as a two‑year institution under Louisiana State University
• 2. 1940 – John McNeese Junior College: Renamed in honor of John McNeese, the first superintendent of schools in Imperial Calcasieu Parish
• 3. 1950 – McNeese State College: Became an autonomous four‑year institution under the Louisiana Board of Education
• 4. 1970 – McNeese State University: Officially adopted the current name, reflecting its expanded academic offerings and status

I. Louisiana Tech

1. Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana (1894–1898)
2. Louisiana Industrial Institute (1898–1921)
3. Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (1921–1970)
4. Louisiana Tech University (1970–present)


J. University of Louisiana

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has undergone several official name changes since its founding in 1898, reflecting its growth from an industrial school to a full research university.
Chronology of Name Changes
1. Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute (1898–1920) – Created by the Louisiana General Assembly on July 14, 1898, through Act 162, this was the original name. It was an industrial school focused on vocational training, with a campus in Lafayette chosen after a competitive bid process
2. Southwestern Louisiana Institute of Liberal and Technical Learning (1921–1959) – In 1921, the “Industrial” designation was dropped after the state’s Constitutional Convention allowed the school to grant bachelor’s degrees. The name reflected a broader academic mission, including liberal arts and technical programs
3. University of Southwestern Louisiana (1960–1998) – In 1960, the school became a full university, adding “University” to its name. This period saw significant expansion in academic offerings and research
4. University of Louisiana in 1984. According to the Ragin’ Cajuns athletics history, the change was made for a few weeks but was challenged in court by LSU. The legal dispute resulted in a ruling that the university had to revert to University of Southwestern Louisiana
5. University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1999–present) – In 1999, the name was changed to its current form, emphasizing its location in Lafayette and its place within the University of Louisiana System

[Houston Cajun]

Looks good. You did not include LA Tech and UNO who have also had name changes.

LSU

LSU was founded as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy (1853–1861), founded near Pineville, Louisiana. Operations moved to Baton Rouge in November 1869, and the name was officially changed in 1874 to Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College, formed after merging with the A&M College. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (1877–present) is the final official legal and corporate name, but commonly known as Louisiana State University (LSU). Wikipedia also states that it was the University of Louisiana from 1913-1922, something I had never heard before. That would conflict with its statement that its official legal and corporate name was from 1877-present.

So, LSU doesn't have to go by its "official legal and corporate name", just LSU. Why can't UL also not go by its "official and corporate name" of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and just UL?

LA Tech

The Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana was founded in Ruston, Louisiana in 1894.
The school was renamed the Louisiana Industrial Institute when Louisiana adopted the Constitution of 1898.
When the Constitution of 1921 was passed, the school changed its name again to Louisiana Polytechnic Institute to reflect the school's evolution from a trade school into a larger and broader technical institute.
Although the university was informally called Louisiana Tech for about five decades after the 1921 name change, it was not until 1970 when Louisiana Polytechnic Institute officially changed its name to Louisiana Tech University.
So, LA Tech went 5 decades as Louisiana Tech while its official name was Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (LPI).

ULM

Just my opinion, but Northeast Louisiana University (NLU) would have a better identity today if it had kept the NLU identity, but as North Louisiana University.

UNO

• 1958 (Founding): Established as an urban, commuter branch of the LSU System and opened on the former site of Naval Air Station New Orleans as LSUNO.
• 1974 (First Name Change): Following extensive student and alumni advocacy to distance the school's identity from the Baton Rouge flagship, the LSU Board of Supervisors voted 8–2 to drop the "LS" prefix, renaming it the University of New Orleans (UNO).
• 2011 (Transfer to UL System): Amid post-Katrina financial and enrollment pressures, the Louisiana Legislature moved UNO out of the LSU System and into the University of Louisiana System, where it spent 14 years.
• July 1, 2026 (Return to LSU / Rename): Following state legislation and board recommendations to combat severe enrollment drops and budget deficits, the institution officially rejoined the LSU System and transitioned to LSU New Orleans, adopting purple and gold branding.

[CajunSaint08]

Looks good. You did not include LA Tech and UNO who have also had name changes.

LSU

LSU was founded as the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy (1853–1861), founded near Pineville, Louisiana. Operations moved to Baton Rouge in November 1869, and the name was officially changed in 1874 to Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College, formed after merging with the A&M College. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (1877–present) is the final official legal and corporate name, but commonly known as Louisiana State University (LSU). Wikipedia also states that it was the University of Louisiana from 1913-1922, something I had never heard before. That would conflict with its statement that its official legal and corporate name was from 1877-present.

So, LSU doesn't have to go by its "official legal and corporate name", just LSU. Why can't UL also not go by its "official and corporate name" of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and just UL?

LA Tech

The Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana was founded in Ruston, Louisiana in 1894.
The school was renamed the Louisiana Industrial Institute when Louisiana adopted the Constitution of 1898.
When the Constitution of 1921 was passed, the school changed its name again to Louisiana Polytechnic Institute to reflect the school's evolution from a trade school into a larger and broader technical institute.
Although the university was informally called Louisiana Tech for about five decades after the 1921 name change, it was not until 1970 when Louisiana Polytechnic Institute officially changed its name to Louisiana Tech University.
So, LA Tech went 5 decades as Louisiana Tech while its official name was Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (LPI).

ULM

Just my opinion, but Northeast Louisiana University (NLU) would have a better identity today if it had kept the NLU identity, but as North Louisiana University.

UNO

• 1958 (Founding): Established as an urban, commuter branch of the LSU System and opened on the former site of Naval Air Station New Orleans as LSUNO.
• 1974 (First Name Change): Following extensive student and alumni advocacy to distance the school's identity from the Baton Rouge flagship, the LSU Board of Supervisors voted 8–2 to drop the "LS" prefix, renaming it the University of New Orleans (UNO).
• 2011 (Transfer to UL System): Amid post-Katrina financial and enrollment pressures, the Louisiana Legislature moved UNO out of the LSU System and into the University of Louisiana System, where it spent 14 years.
• July 1, 2026 (Return to LSU / Rename): Following state legislation and board recommendations to combat severe enrollment drops and budget deficits, the institution officially rejoined the LSU System and transitioned to LSU New Orleans, adopting purple and gold branding.

Thanks,

Not sure why LaTech wasn't included in that original post. Somehow, I skipped it when I posted, though I had it down in my "homework". I hadn't noticed that about LSU but now have included in the original post. And poor UNO has had enough issues without me pouring more on them. 😁

Thanks for the info.

[Turbine]

Board of Trustees oversaw the development of Universities under its wing.

This involved thousands of decisions not explicitly written into law.

When the Board of Trustees voted 17-1 to name the school University of Louisiana a Judge ruled that while no law says you can't rename a school... "no law says you can"