The Executive Committee of Loyola College in Maryland’s Board of Trustees announced today that it has affirmed and ratified the preliminary decision of the full Board to change Loyola’s designation from “College” to “University.” The change takes effect on Aug. 15, 2009, in time for the start of the 2009-2010 academic year.

At that time, Loyola’s official name will become “Loyola University Maryland.” This decision must be endorsed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC); Loyola officials will submit an official request for endorsement in the coming days.

This decision comes after months of discussion with Loyola students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and other supporters, and has been reinforced by the review of extensive market research on the topic.

“Since the Board and Loyola’s leadership first began considering this change last year, we have engaged in an ongoing, critical examination of Loyola’s character and history, as well as the nature of the institution we have become,” said Loyola President Brian F. Linnane, S.J. “It is clear to the Board of Trustees and to me that Loyola’s current designation does not accurately describe the depth, breadth and excellence of its programs, which attract talented students from throughout the country and around the world and have grown to include two distinct schools and a third planned; a graduate student population comprising more than 40 percent of the overall student body; and 20 graduate degree programs including two nationally known doctoral programs. This change is an invaluable part of our ongoing efforts to enable prospective students, alumni and other key audiences to understand fully the comprehensive institution we are today. That being said, this change does not signify a shift in philosophy or a move away from the sense of community that is a hallmark of a Loyola education, but rather a more complete and accurate description of the institution we are already.”

In addition to conducting a series of open fora on the issue with the campus community and seeking feedback from its alumni and others with close ties to the institution, Loyola also asked SimpsonScarborough, a higher education consulting firm with which it is engaged in an extensive market research project, to pose questions relating to the perceptions of the “college” and “university” designations to Loyola alumni, parents, faculty, staff and prospective students. After reviewing an initial round of research in April, Loyola’s full Board of Trustees authorized its Executive Committee to move forward with the designation change upon completion of the research analysis. The Executive Committee, in consultation with Fr. Linnane, met recently and agreed to enact the change.

“This is not a decision we made lightly,” said Board Chairman H. Edward Hanway, a member of the Loyola Class of 1974. “We’ve engaged in conversations on this matter for months with Loyola constituents. The research reports reinforced the feedback we received from other channels—that the designation change is the right choice for Loyola not just at this point in its history but for years to come. As an alumnus, I am confident that this designation change—combined with the forward-thinking initiatives which will emerge from the strategic plan currently under development—will help solidify my alma mater’s place among the nation’s premier Catholic comprehensive universities.”

The specific name “Loyola University Maryland” was chosen to reaffirm the university’s enduring connection to its home state, as well as to underscore the distinctions between this university and the other “Loyola Universities” in Louisiana, Illinois and California.

In order to preserve the “Loyola College” identity and history, Loyola’s College of Arts and Sciences will assume that name on Aug. 15, 2009, when the overall designation change becomes official. This move also symbolizes Loyola’s commitment to the enduring tradition of Jesuit liberal arts education.

Any questions not answered on this site can be directed to Loyola’s Office of Public Relations at 410-617-5025. For additional information on the perceptions associated with the “university” and “college” designations, please contact Tim McDonough, director of public affairs at the American Council on Education, at 202-939-9365.