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OCAD, UOIT search for new name
Aug 08, 2007 04:30 AM
Kristin Rushowy
Education Reporter
The Ontario College of Art & Design isn't actually a college any more.
And UOIT? In academic circles, it's jokingly referred to as "you-owe-it."
Even its president says the name "doesn't roll off the tongue."
What's in a name? A lot if you are a university saddled with one that's confusing to students, their parents and the general public. One that doesn't quite reflect what you do.
That's why two in Ontario – both in Greater Toronto – are looking to change theirs.
"The current name is a difficult name," said Ron Bordessa, president of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, founded just five years ago in Oshawa.
"It's quite confusing to the public because it contains the words `university' and `institute' and the public doesn't really understand why it's necessary to have both these words and what the differences are between those two words.
"The word `institute' has a meaning in the U.S., as in MIT" (the research-intensive Massachusetts Institute of Technology), which the founders of UOIT were likely thinking of when the name was chosen, said Bordessa.
In Canada, the term "institute of technology" is usually for community colleges.
"UOIT is tremendously ambitious to build graduate programs, so we want the marketplace to understand that this is a university that is research-intensive, has graduate studies and is innovative and on the cutting edge," said Bordessa.
"And the question is, does having `institute' in the title take away from that message?"
At the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) in Toronto, consultations with staff, students and alumni are planned next month with the hopes that the school will have some choices to give the provincial government by October.
"We've had six names in our history, and each has, in a sense, represented a different stage of the institute," said President Sara Diamond. "We added `and design' a number of years ago, when design had become a critical and important part of what had been the Ontario College of Art."
Now that it is officially a university and grants degrees, there is "a discrepancy between our current name – which does represent our wonderful history – and our university status," she said.
It's not the first time an Ontario university has changed its name, but unusual in that two are seeking to do so at the same time.
Ryerson University started out as Ryerson Institute of Technology in 1948, then became Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1963. After gaining full status in 1993, it adopted Ryerson Polytechnic University. In 2002, it dropped the polytechnic and moved toward offering both master's and PhD programs.
"(UOIT) is going through the same process as Ryerson," said Henry Mandelbaum, executive director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations.
In 2003, when the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design became a university, it made a simple change, from NSCAD to NSCAD University.
Neither Bordessa nor Diamond were willing to discuss any possible suggestions for new names.
"We have come up with dozens of names, almost all of which don't stand the test of 15 seconds," Bordessa said, adding that consultations with students are likely. He's hoping to have the issue settled within the year.
"We want people to understand where the university is. ... People don't necessarily know where Durham is because it's a regional name, and while they do know where Oshawa is, the problem with using Oshawa is that we very much see ourselves as a university that serves Durham Region in general."
Once they narrow down the options, both schools will take a name – or names – to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for approval. "If the institutions think that changing their name is going to help project them and what they do for the province, I'm supportive," said Minister Chris Bentley, adding some legislative change is likely required.
The Ontario College of Art & Design has had six names: 1876-1886 Ontario School of Art
1886-1890 Toronto Art School
1890-1912 Central Ontario School of Art and Industrial Design
1912-1996 Ontario College of Art (OCA)
July 1, 1996 Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Ontario College of Art & Design
Aug 08, 2007 04:30 AM
Kristin Rushowy
Education Reporter
The Ontario College of Art & Design isn't actually a college any more.
And UOIT? In academic circles, it's jokingly referred to as "you-owe-it."
Even its president says the name "doesn't roll off the tongue."
What's in a name? A lot if you are a university saddled with one that's confusing to students, their parents and the general public. One that doesn't quite reflect what you do.
That's why two in Ontario – both in Greater Toronto – are looking to change theirs.
"The current name is a difficult name," said Ron Bordessa, president of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, founded just five years ago in Oshawa.
"It's quite confusing to the public because it contains the words `university' and `institute' and the public doesn't really understand why it's necessary to have both these words and what the differences are between those two words.
"The word `institute' has a meaning in the U.S., as in MIT" (the research-intensive Massachusetts Institute of Technology), which the founders of UOIT were likely thinking of when the name was chosen, said Bordessa.
In Canada, the term "institute of technology" is usually for community colleges.
"UOIT is tremendously ambitious to build graduate programs, so we want the marketplace to understand that this is a university that is research-intensive, has graduate studies and is innovative and on the cutting edge," said Bordessa.
"And the question is, does having `institute' in the title take away from that message?"
At the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) in Toronto, consultations with staff, students and alumni are planned next month with the hopes that the school will have some choices to give the provincial government by October.
"We've had six names in our history, and each has, in a sense, represented a different stage of the institute," said President Sara Diamond. "We added `and design' a number of years ago, when design had become a critical and important part of what had been the Ontario College of Art."
Now that it is officially a university and grants degrees, there is "a discrepancy between our current name – which does represent our wonderful history – and our university status," she said.
It's not the first time an Ontario university has changed its name, but unusual in that two are seeking to do so at the same time.
Ryerson University started out as Ryerson Institute of Technology in 1948, then became Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1963. After gaining full status in 1993, it adopted Ryerson Polytechnic University. In 2002, it dropped the polytechnic and moved toward offering both master's and PhD programs.
"(UOIT) is going through the same process as Ryerson," said Henry Mandelbaum, executive director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations.
In 2003, when the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design became a university, it made a simple change, from NSCAD to NSCAD University.
Neither Bordessa nor Diamond were willing to discuss any possible suggestions for new names.
"We have come up with dozens of names, almost all of which don't stand the test of 15 seconds," Bordessa said, adding that consultations with students are likely. He's hoping to have the issue settled within the year.
"We want people to understand where the university is. ... People don't necessarily know where Durham is because it's a regional name, and while they do know where Oshawa is, the problem with using Oshawa is that we very much see ourselves as a university that serves Durham Region in general."
Once they narrow down the options, both schools will take a name – or names – to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for approval. "If the institutions think that changing their name is going to help project them and what they do for the province, I'm supportive," said Minister Chris Bentley, adding some legislative change is likely required.
The Ontario College of Art & Design has had six names: 1876-1886 Ontario School of Art
1886-1890 Toronto Art School
1890-1912 Central Ontario School of Art and Industrial Design
1912-1996 Ontario College of Art (OCA)
July 1, 1996 Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Ontario College of Art & Design
