Anoka-Ramsey Community College Name Change Process

“Does the name Anoka-Ramsey Community College fit the mission of the institution and the communities it serves?”

This question has been debated formally and informally since the mid 1980’s. In order to get an answer, the college examined the risks and benefits to changing its name. The answer: Rewards of changing outweigh the risks and the current name does not directly fit the mission of the college and the community it serves. (Read about this research study.)

The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Name Choice Committee continues to collect new name ideas and comments from all constituents in order to move forward with the change. The Committee will recommend a new name to the Anoka-Ramsey Community President's Cabinet by November 2006.

Details below.

Questions

1. Will Anoka-Ramsey Community College change its name?
2. What is the current top name choice?
3. Why is Anoka-Ramsey Community College considering a name change?
4. How has the name change process been conducted?
5. What steps have taken place? Have students, alumni, employees and community members been involved?
6. Who will choose the new name?
7. Who are the Committee(s) members?
8. What is the timeline? What comes next?
9. What criteria are being used to create and decide on new name options?
10. Why are river and water-related names not being accepted?
11. Why are city/county-related names and coined name not being accepted?
12. Why are names that reflect an individual, corporation or other non-government entity not being accepted?
13. Is the College attempting to stall the process or just stick with name Anoka-Ramsey Community College?

Answers

1. Will Anoka-Ramsey Community College change its name?
   Anoka-Ramsey Community College may change its name but the option to keep the current name remains. Nearly 75% of constituents surveyed supported a college name change.  Today the question remains, “What is a better name than Anoka-Ramsey Community College?”

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2. What is the current top name choice?
   After a couple of rounds of name gathering, the college community and the name choice committee have narrowed the top name choice to: Ardent College (a. expressing or characterized by warmth of passion or desire. b. Displaying strong enthusiasm or devotion. Bringing learning to life.) However, the committee chose to open the name gathering pool again to ensure that the best options are considered.

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3. Why is Anoka-Ramsey Community College considering a name change?
   There are several reasons. The issue of a name change has been debated since the mid 1980’s.  It surfaced again during the college’s strategic planning process in 2004. Students, employees and community members voiced concerns with the college’s current name.  These concerns were echoed in the research conducted in Spring 2005.
   Primary reasons to change the name include:
   • Confusion with Anoka Technical College and Anoka-Hennepin School District.
   • Does not fit the Cambridge Campus or the communities of East Central Minnesota.
   • Confusion over service area and location of the college.
   • Nearly 75% of those surveyed supported a college name change.

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4. How has the name change process been conducted?
   The process has been a careful, deliberate, and inclusive of the college’s many constituents. Communication regarding the process has been widespread and included college wide email to employees and students; college employee and student bulletins; newsletter articles and letters to the public; presentations to employee groups, advisory boards, foundation boards, and more.
   
   Two ARCC committees have been developed to ensure a deliberate, inclusive process.
   
   Committee #1: Name Change Research
   The first committee was formed in January 2005 to work with a researcher to examine the risks and benefits of a name change.  View the methodology and results of this research effort. This committee’s work is complete. 
   

Committee #2: Name Choice Research
The second committee was formed in December 2005 to build key criteria for the new name, provide an opportunity to collect name images and ideas, pare down list of names based on constituent feedback, and make a name recommendation to ARCC’s President’s Cabinet. This work started in January 2005 and continues today.

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5. What steps have taken place? Have students, alumni, employees and community members been involved?
   
   Spring Semester 2005
   
   
   1. Formed committee and selected a partnering researcher.
   2. Conducted qualitative and quantitative examinations (focus groups, phone surveys, paper surveys) of:
      • Existing image/identity of ARCC
      • Strengths/weaknesses of existing name
      • Risks/rewards of changing name
      • Support for name change
        
        
   Several constituent groups within ARCC’s 9-county service area were surveyed, including:
   • Employees
   • Students
   • Alumni
   • Key influencers: advisory board members, business partners, legislators, high school employees, etc.
   • Prospective students
   • Parents of prospective students
   • High School employees
     RESULTS: View the methodology and results of this research effort.
   3. Committee made the recommendation to President’s Cabinet to change the college name.
   4. President’s Cabinet accepted the recommendation but asked that Anoka-Ramsey Community College remain a name option.  This request was made due to the research showing that most constituents supported a name change as long as it was a "good name."

Spring Semester 2006

1. Formed Committee and selected a partnering vendor.
2. Solicited comments and name ideas from college employees, students, community members.
3. Developed key criteria for choosing a new name. These criteria were developed from input from several hundred employees, students, and other key constituents. Of course there are many more things that our college represents and can say about itself but these are the primary criteria in terms of name options.
   KEY IDENTITY CRITERIA for Choosing New Name
   1. The name should reflect an image of:
   • excellence
   • access
   • integrity/credibility
   • tradition
   • innovation
   2. Name should serve as a connection across campuses and the communities (audiences) it serves.
   3. Name should convey comprehensive offerings.
   4. Name should sound distinctive in the marketplace.
4. Committee narrowed first list of name ideas down to six options. 
5. Asked constituents to rank six name options. 804 people responded:
   • 148 employees
   • 562 students
   • 14 alumni
   • 80 others
   • RESULT: Riverbridge = #1, Ardent =  #2
6. Solicited additional comments and name ideas from college employees and students.
7. Asked constituents to narrow list (217 names were listed) by choosing top six name choices. A total of 392 people responded to the survey:
• 155 employees
• 229 students
• 8 others.
  (This survey was not promoted externally.)
• RESULT: Two Rivers, Great Rivers, Riverbridge, Riverside, Ardent, and Riverview.
8. Asked constituents whether the word “Community” should be part of the name.
   RESULT:
   • Employees: 52.9% = only College; 22.6% = Community College; 24.5% = no preference
   • Students: 40.2% = only College; 40.2% = Community College; 19.7% = no preference

Summer & Fall Semesters 2006

1. Currently gathering 3rd round of name ideas and other comments until September 8, 2006.
2. September: Committee will take all suggestions and narrow down to top 10. Employees, students and community members will choose their top new choice. Then constituents will compare the new option to Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
3. November: Committee will make final recommendation to President’s Cabinet.
4. Spring Semester 2007: If a new name is accepted by President’s Cabinet, ARCC will present to the MnSCU Chancellor and Board.

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6. Who will choose the new name?
   College employees, students, alumni, community members, business and education partners, advisory board members, foundation donors and board members and more have the opportunity to provide new name options, feedback on those options, and opinions on whether to keep the name Anoka-Ramsey Community College.  All of this information is being compiled by the College Name Choice Committee and reviewed as each step takes place.  It will also be part of the final recommendation to President’s Cabinet.
   
   Name Choice Committee will continue to gather feedback through September 2006.  Options and feedback will be reviewed during October 2006 and the Committee will make a recommendation to President’s Cabinet by November 2006.
   
   President’s Cabinet [College President, Two Vice President’s, Director of Institutional Advancement] will decide whether or not to take the recommendation (if a new name is recommended) and all of the required research to the Chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities(MnSCU).
   
   Chancellor and MnSCU Board: If accepted by the Chancellor, the new name idea is recommended to the MnSCU Board.  This Board makes the final decision on whether the college will change its name or not.  There is an official MnSCU Policy on college name changes that Anoka-Ramsey Community College is adhering to.

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7. Who are the Committee(s) members?
   Committee #1 Name Change Research members:
   • William Breen
   • Evelyn Gedde
   • Mary Jacobson
   • Charlotte Lindahl
   • Thomas McCarthy
   • Deidra Peaslee
   • Mary Raeker-Rebek
   • Murphy Research Services (Consultant)

Committee #2 Name Choice members:
• Amy Balard
• Maria Barlage
• Bonnie Boese
• Lynnette Brambrink
• Robert Breitbach
• Anna Driscoll
• Mary Jacobson
• Thomas McCarthy
• Deidra Peaslee
• Juanita Peterson
• NameTag International (Consultant)

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8. What is the timeline? What comes next?
   Next Steps in 2006
   1. July: Continue to gather name ideas and other comments.
   2. September: Committee will take all suggestions and narrow down to top 10. Employees, students and community members will choose their top new choice. Then constituents will compare the new option to Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
   3. November: Committee will make final recommendation to President’s Cabinet.
   4. Spring Semester 2007: If a new name is accepted by President’s Cabinet, ARCC will present to the MnSCU Chancellor and Board.

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9. What criteria are being used to create and decide on new name options?
   
   KEY IDENTITY CRITERIA for Choosing New Name
   1. The name should reflect an image of:
   • excellence
   • access
   • integrity/credibility
   • tradition
   • innovation
   2. Name should serve as a connection across campuses and the communities (audiences) it serves.
   3. Name should convey comprehensive offerings.
   4. Name should sound distinctive in the marketplace.
      
   • No water-related names (i.e. river, lakes)
   • No city/county-related names (i.e. Anoka, Cambridge)
   • No coined names (i.e. Futurion, Excelion)
   • No names that reflect an individual, corporation or other non-government entity will be accepted

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10. Why are river and water-related names not being accepted?
    While the college community has shown great interest in river-related names, the risk for confusion remains extremely high:
    1. In Minnesota, four colleges (Riverland, Rainy River, Ridgewater and Central Lakes) have similar names.  It's likely that any river/water-related name may cause confusion.
    2. The MnSCU Board may have some concerns with additional river-related names? Also, other MnSCU college presidents have indicated that there is already confusion among the colleges with water-related names.
    3. Other entities near our service area may have concerns with Great Rivers: Great River Energy, Great River Regional Library, Great River Athletic Association, Great River Federal Credit Union.

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11. Why are city/county-related names and coined name not being accepted?
    A great variety of these types of names have been submitted and voted on. 
    • The city/county names (i.e. Anoka, Cambridge) are problematic due to the confusion issues with “Anoka” and the issues with “Coon Rapids.”  Also many argue that our service area is so large that it encompasses more than a specific city/county.
    • The coined names (i.e. Futurion, Excelion) have come up against a great deal of resistance.

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12. Why are names that reflect an individual, corporation or other non-government entity not accepted?
    MnSCU Board Policy 3.23 specifically states this.

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13. Is the College attempting to stall the process or just stick with name Anoka-Ramsey Community College?
    No. The committee is working hard to ensure a careful, complete process. Although the College and surrounding community seems willing to accept a change, the right name that will be widely accepted has yet to surface. The Committee chose to continue working into Fall Semester 2006 in order to make a strong attempt to find the right name.

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