Universities Weblog

"I think Salem State University would be terrific," said Joe DeNisco, 21, of Peabody, a senior at Salem State College. "The change in name would solidify us in the eye of a lot of people."

Bridgewater State and Salem are leading the charge, and presidents of other state colleges say they would probably follow suit if the two colleges get the necessary approval. A bill filed last month in the Legislature would allow a state college to become a university if it grants doctorate degrees or at least 50 master's degrees a year. Currently, the Legislature considers name changes on a case-by-case basis. [....]

Bridgewater and Salem State leaders say the name change would also help them as they try to start up their first doctoral programs — something state law prevents them from doing as state colleges. If they succeed with the name change, they would not suddenly join the University of Massachusetts system. The state would maintain a two-tier system of four-year institutions, but one set would include schools known as "state universities" or "state colleges," and the other group would be the UMass schools.

Bridgewater State College president Dana Mohler-Faria, Governor Deval Patrick's education adviser, said the Bay State is way behind the nation in adopting the state university moniker.

"It will clearly raise stature," said Mohler-Faria, speaking in his capacity as college president.

The state colleges might have a better chance of winning grants as universities because the title is considered more prestigious, Mohler-Faria and other college officials said.

The state colleges, like many others across the nation, say that changing their title is a part of their evolution. Most of the nine state colleges started as normal schools, or teachers colleges, in the 1800s, enrolling primarily women pursuing teaching careers. They became state colleges in the 1960s and began offering an array of academic programs.