Top 5 Rejected New Names for MnSCU

You might have heard the news that MnSCU, the short name for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, (including RCTC here in Rochester) will be changing its name later this year to 'Minnesota State.' Well, as is the case with most projects, the group had considered a few other names before settling on its new moniker.

According to this TwinCities.com story, leaders believed the MnSCU name, though it's been in use for 20 years here in Minnesota, didn't 'test well' with potential students, and needed an update. So, Minnesota's largest higher education system commissioned a consulting firm to come up with a new name, one that would help  "establish the reputation of its seven state universities and 24 community and technical colleges as the most affordable, quality post-secondary option for Minnesota residents."

The new name they chose is 'Minnesota State.' Okay. But, of course, in their search for the shiny, new name, they did offer up a few other choices that, after doing some due diligence, they wisely discarded. Check out these potential names they rejected:

1) The University of Wisconsin - Minnesota -- Given the success Bucky Badger has had against Minnesota in both football and basketball lately, it's not a surprise the firm tried to capitalize on Wisconsin's name and reputation. Leaders ultimately balked, though, because 'the University of Wisconsin' name is, in fact, already being used by another educational institution. Oh, and it's not in Minnesota, either.

2) U of M 2 (Electric Boogaloo) -- Much like the first rejected name, leaders here thought that using the already-familiar 'U of M' name, but 'hipping it up' a bit by adding the number '2' (and the wacky 80's movie reference) to the title might be a way to capitalize on the success of another educational institution already here in Minnesota. U of M lawyers, however, convinced them otherwise.

3) That-Group-That-Used-To-Be-MnSCU -- With this choice, leaders were apparently admitting that, no matter which new name they ultimately chose, most of us would still, in fact, just be calling the group of colleges and universities it represents, MnSCU.

2) That-College-Featured-On-The-90's-Sitcom 'Coach' -- Here, MnSCU leaders weren't actually all that far off, as the fictitious college where Craig T. Nelson's character, Hayden Fox, worked in the 80's and 90's sitcom 'Coach,' was, in fact, 'Minnesota State University.' No word, though, on if the actual Minnesota State will use the 'Screaming Eagles' as their mascot, like the show did, however.

1) State Colleges/Universities - Minnesota  -- Leaders were THISCLOSE to making this choice their new name. That is, until they looked at the acronym this new name would spell out: SCUM. Good thing they noticed it before they started painting it on various doors and offices across the state.