Dive Brief:
- The Georgia state governing board for higher education has bowed to public pressure and voted to change the name of Georgia Regents University to Augusta University.
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that many have been unhappy with the Georgia Regents name since it was created in 2012 after Augusta State and Georgia Health Sciences consolidated.
- Augusta residents and students launched a “Save the A” campaign in hopes of getting the city back in the school’s name, and the university’s new president told members of the board of regents this week a name change would pave the way for much-needed community support.
Dive Insight:
Re-branding should always be a last resort, but the name change to Augusta University may just give the school enough of a local boost to recover any brand recognition or loyalty it has developed in the last few years. Every sign, pamphlet, and piece of stationery that has been stamped with the GRU name, however, must be replaced. The Journal-Constitution reports that Augusta residents have committed to collecting donations to cover the costs.