University names and patents
February 1, 2005 on 2:25 pm | In Trademarks |I saw this news article today: “SMSU moves to patent Missouri State University.”
Patent? Argh! The article should read: “SMSU moves to register the trademark: Missouri State University.”
This is actually an interesting story that I have connections with. Back in the early 1990’s I was selected as the Governor appointed student representative on Northeast Missouri State University’s (NMSU) Name Change Commission. NMSU is a great school, but was having a hard time distinguishing itself from the other “regional” Missouri schools (NWMS, SMSU, SEMSU, CMSU, etc.). In an attempt to rebrand itself, NMSU changed its name (upon consent of the state legislature) to Truman State University.
During research (if memory serves me right) for the name change it was clear that (even pre-1994) Southwest had repeatedly attempted to change from SMSU to Missouri State, only to have those backed by the University of Missouri block it. [I probably have my old “Name Change” folder somewhere with all of the old newspaper articles about SMSU’s previous attempts.] Would “Missouri State University” dilute “University of Missouri”? MSU v MU? It’s a good question.
It looks like SMSU is trying to make the name change again, apparently this time filing “intent-to-use” trademarks before getting approval from the Legislature.
Cross state rivalries exist everywhere. Here it is Boise State University v. the University of Idaho. I could only imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth if BSU would have attempted to change their name to something anything near U of I (there is already an Idaho State University in Pocatello). Gotta love educational politics.
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