Now that the Utica University name designation is official, the most tangible change students will see is signage and digital branding. Future changes to the campus, such as the entryway signs on Burrstone Road and Champlin Avenue, will occur in the next couple of months, according to the school’s FAQ page. 

The Feb. 16 announcement raised several questions on what will change since the Utica College name no longer exists.

Here are some answered questions as the transition moves forward: 

Will all Utica College references be removed from campus and ceremonies?

Vice President for Presidential Affairs and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Kelly Adams said it’s important to note that certain parts of the institution’s tradition will not be renamed, such as the commencement ceremony mace.

“[The mace] says Utica College and will continue to say Utica College because it’s a part of our history, our tradition and it’s really a part of the story of this institution,” Adams said.

The corporate seal of the institution will have the year 2022 added in roman numerals to designate the achievement of university status alongside the three other important years of the institution’s history: 1933, 1946 and 1995.

Why is the abbreviation “UU” discouraged?

One of the questions on campus has been the reasoning for the adoption of “Utica” as an abbreviation rather than “UU,” which is similar to the previous “UC” abbreviation found in several club and organization titles.

“There seems to be some consensus that ‘UU’ does not roll off the tongue quite like ‘UC’ did,” Adams said. “The college is going by Utica University, which is not necessarily new, and the short form of that, we are going by Utica. We always have and we are very proud of our heritage as an institution founded primarily for and by the residents of the city of Utica.”

Will the cost of tuition increase as a result of the status change?

The university adoption is just a legal name change and does not impact how the institution runs or impacts students, according to Vice President of Financial Affairs Pamela Salmon.

“It’s similar to when a person decides to change their name for any reason, such as if they get married,” Salmon said. “Their identity and identifiers remain unchanged.”

Tuition is approved annually by the Board of Trustees in May of each year. The factors associated with tuition increases are typically inflationary and the change to university status does not factor in any potential increases, according to Salmon.

“The same thing will go for anyone worried about scholarships and financial aid,” Salmon said. “Again, nothing with the name change impacts financial aid or scholarships, this is a legal name change that does not impact the way that the institution is run.”

What will happen to Utica University’s other sites?

Utica University currently has three additional academic sites that are being simultaneously rebranded along with two new sites which will open with the new branding already implemented. Utica’s online campus and digital space are also receiving updates.

“The name change for everything will be ongoing, as you might imagine there are numerous items that need to be changed,” Salmon said. “Some of these are physical, some are digital, the university has been taking inventory over the previous month or so of the necessary changes, both physical and digital, that we’re gonna have to make. Certainly, in the coming days and weeks ahead, we will be updating all our materials with our name and logo…email, calendar header, signage/banners have changed, our admissions materials, certain components of the website have changed.”

The current sites which are being rebranded are located in both Miramar and St. Petersburg, Florida, as well as the location in Syracuse, New York.

The sites which will open with Utica University branding already implemented are the newly announced Pasco County, Florida site and a third site in New York State.

When can I purchase Utica University merch?

The institution received word that the Board of Regents approved the change to Utica University late on Feb. 15, which is why there has not been any merchandise in the bookstore with the new name.

“I do love that there is a lot of excitement, but you can understand why the shelves and racks are not yet filled with Utica University merchandise because, really, it’s only been a week since this was formalized and some things do take some time to order,” Salmon said.

Utica University merchandise is expected to be available before the end of the spring semester.