The news that Utica College transitioned to Utica University was received with mixed reviews from the campus community after the Feb. 16 announcement to students, faculty and staff.

While students have welcomed the name change, some have found the process to have seemed rushed. Christa Fransman, a junior liberal studies and childhood education major, felt that the name change was very sudden. The email that was sent to students, faculty and staff announcing the name change, was less than 24 hours before a press conference was held. 

During the press conference, Utica University Board of Trustees Chair Robert Brvenik spoke on the history of the university and how far Utica has come as an institution in its 75-year history, while President Laura Casamento made the official announcement on the name change and took questions from the press. At the end of the press conference, Casamento made a statement explaining, “we are not going to go by UU, we are Utica.” 

While the administration has tried to deter people from referring to the university as “UU,” students on campus, as well as alumni on social media, have already been embracing the “UU” abbreviation. 

“We are so used to hearing UC that we have simply adjusted to UU,” sophomore and English major Elizabeth Morgan said.

It’s unsure whether the abbreviation will stick around once everybody has fully adjusted to the new university designation.

“It’ll take a while to get used to and I’ll probably still say Utica College for a while,” sophomore men’s basketball player and therapeutic recreation major Damien Call said. “It’s just different with the university and UC sounds a little better than UU. I think people will still say it just for fun and we will refer to it as the U or UU.”

Many students believe that the university designation was a welcomed surprise and might even help with recruiting future students.

“I think it will attract more people student-wise as a university,” Call said. “I also think it will benefit the future of the college having the university name and getting more funding, to add more stuff to make the college more representable as a university instead of a college.”

Senior and liberal studies major Olivia Nole-Malpezzi said she was excited by the announcement since she is at the end of her undergraduate experience. 

“It encourages a sense of community,” she said. “I work at the Aud and you can see the news and excitement rippling through the community.”