Charles Sturt University has vowed not to proceed with a controversial proposal to change its name following a vicious backlash from staff, students and members of the public.
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Last month the university floated the possibility of changing its name to simply Sturt University to differentiate itself from other institutions with the CSU initials.
However, the idea was strongly opposed, with an online petition against the change quickly attracting more than 3000 signatures.
The university’s vice-chancellor Andrew Vann announced on Monday morning that the institution has “heard loud and clear” that staff, students and alumni are connected to the name and history.
“We believe it’s important we reflect the views of our community in our namesake,” Professor Vann said.
“Our name will remain as Charles Sturt University.
“You’ve told us how important this university is to you. We will draw on our shared history and values to develop our brand, to tell our unique stories and to represent the connections we’ve made and continue to make for every member of the university community.”
Public consultation sessions were held in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga and online.
Wagga stakeholders also expressed their confusion over who the university was trying to target at the consultation session on January 30; labeling an “identity crisis”.
The university will continue its commitment to moving forward with changes to their visual identity, logo and marketing approach and will provide further updates in the coming months.
“We must be competitive; we must be sustainable. We cannot sit still,” Professor Vann said.
“We are really excited about revealing more about our brand in the coming months and sharing more about how our University Strategy is delivering on all the things you asked us to improve — teaching, learning, research and community engagement.”
More to come.