Comments on: Regions University Undergoes Name Change

By: Robert L. Waggoner

Robert L. Waggoner — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:51:32 +0000

Christian universities are generally named after the family names of their founders (David Lipscomb, George Pepperdine, Freed-Hardeman, etc.) or in relation to geographical regions (Abilene Christian, Ohio Valley, Rochester, etc.). No rules are binding on university boards regarding their selection of school names. Biblical names or concepts are not generally used when naming schools. The name Amridge is a proper name, not related to any known person. It is therefore a name whose meaning is yet to be made known by the reputation it is yet to acquire by its future educational performance. It is therefore incumbant upon all its personnel – board, administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni, supporters, etc. – to give it a good Christian reputation. May the Lord bless this endeavor.

By: John Carter

John Carter — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:16:50 +0000

[Edited for content] When SCU changed its name to Regions University, Rex Turner, Jr. sent a letter informing everyone the reasons for the name change. It was plausible. I bought it, grudgingly. I wanted all to know I was attending “Southern Christian University” and planned to graduate from it, too. He also said that the board had researched it and done all the due diligence on the name change. Such poor work on the part of the legal team. Perhaps the graduates (I’m now one) and the current students should have been polled to learn of their choice of name. Didn’t happen!

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:58:07 +0000

Is this name supposed to have some special meaning? I am ignorant of any implication to teaching Biblical truths that is indicated by it. Will someone please enlighten me?

By: Joel Williams

Joel Williams — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:57:44 +0000

Southern Christian University was a nice name. However, it had some limitations to it. To cite justs one example, Amridge University (the new name) is no longer limited to the Southern United States. The university is licensed in other locations and teaching classes outside the South, even outside the United States. Furthermore, through the university’s emphasis on distance education, the student body is located literally around the world. I have had students not only from all over the United States, most of whom have never been to the main campus in Alabama, but also I have had students from England, Germany, military bases around the world, and even one student who took a class from me while stationed on the Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier.

Finding a new name for a university is difficult. There are many thousands of universities around the world, and many more names of other businesses that are protected by trademarks or other legal restrictions.

Dr. Turner and the rest of the administration are providing superb leadership in trying to grow this university and to provide excellent education to the student body. I am impressed with the hands-on guidance and the far-looking vision of the administration.

By: Bruce Pawlak

Bruce Pawlak — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:12:01 +0000

AU Board of Regents:

Please take this as it is intended… I understand the concept for the name change to RU… and I am a Christian… but education is a business… and businesses with odd names either hit it big or flop… I was interested when their name was SCU… RU had zero name recognition… and AU sounds even worse.

I guess the other perspective is that businesses target their audience and perhaps I am not the target… If RU was really their preferred name perhaps they should move the university overseas where their target audience appears to be!