FSCJ would have to change its name under Senate community college proposal

[thelakelander]

Jacksonville's community college would undergo its second name change in less than a decade under a proposal approved Monday by a Florida Senate committee.
The legislation requires Florida State College at Jacksonville to be renamed Jacksonville College. The same bill also drops the word "state" from the name of St. Johns River State College.

Sen. Joe Negron, who is behind the proposal, said he could be flexible about what the colleges ultimately change their names to. But he is not interested in allowing any of Florida's 28 community colleges to include the word "state" in their names beyond 2015.

"They're clearly regional in nature and therefore not statewide in nature," Negron, R-Stuart, said during the Senate's Higher Education Committee meeting.

The committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 1252 after tacking on Negron's proposal. It has to be approved by two more committees before it is eligible for a floor vote. There is not comparable legislation in the House.

Florida Community College at Jacksonville changed its name to FSCJ in 2009 to reflect its membership in the Florida College System, which had dropped the word "community" to reflect the increasing number of baccalaureate programs offered at member schools.

FSCJ spokeswoman Jill Johnson said it would be "devastating" to require another name change.

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2015-03-23/story/fscj-would-have-change-its-name-under-senate-community-college

[Tacachale]

Wow, what a dumb thing to spend the legislature's time and taxpayers' money on.

[brainstormer]

When legislation like this is proposed, I wish representatives would have the guts to stand up to each other and call themselves out on their own ridiculousness. The party of fiscal responsibility is not thinking at all about the costs involved for FSCJ to make another name change. This is Negron's personal issue and everyone just falls in line behind him like a bunch of sheep.

Back in 2009, the legislature approved the name change from FCCJ to FSCJ. Even Florida State University blessed the name change and took no issue with Jacksonville having a Florida State College. At the time, the name change was part of the legislature's desire to create a state college system. The name change also allowed FSCJ to provide more bachelor's degree options.

This bill seems petty and restrictive. Clearly, Negron is being lobbied by some outside group or special interest.

[coredumped]

Great use of my taxes.

[AbelH]

Wow, what a dumb thing to spend the legislature's time and taxpayers' money on.

Well, that's never stopped them before.

[ProjectMaximus]

Wow, what a dumb thing to spend the legislature's time and taxpayers' money on.

I wish he had to personally share the financial burden such a change places on all these schools. So stupid. smh

[copperfiend]

This bill seems petty and restrictive. Clearly, Negron is being lobbied by some outside group or special interest.

That seems clear. Just trying to think of what the benefit is for anyone in making them change their name.

My guess is the "for profit" colleges are behind it but again, I don't know the benefit.

[CityLife]

Wow, what a dumb thing to spend the legislature's time and taxpayers' money on.

I strongly disagree. It is absolutely moronic that this state ever even let it be named Florida State College in the first place. One, FSU was called Florida State College from 1901-1947. Two, it causes some confusion with one of the state's two flagship universities. Is there an Ohio State College? Or a Georgia Tech College? No, those states aren't dumb enough to sabotage the reputation of their strongest public institutions. The only reason that was allowed to happen is because FSU's President at the time, TK Wetherell was a joke. He and I had some heated email exchanges about it. I was just a 26 year old grad student at the time though. Had I been a little older and wiser, I would have lobbied the Board of Trustees and power brokers to shut it down.

That said, I'm not opposed to the community colleges having the name "state" in them. I just think allowing there to be a Florida State University and Florida State College is a horrible idea. Name it First Coast State College or North Florida State College or something like that.

[carpnter]

FSCJ should have never been allowed to use Florida State in their name, due to Florida State University's name. 

[brainstormer]

^ It is a little late to debate the 2009 name change now. At the time, everyone including FSU and the legislature approved the name change. It seems incredibly disrespectful and unfair to make FSCJ and any others pay for another name change and rebranding just six years later.

[finehoe]

What about Northwest Florida State College, South Florida State College, and Eastern Florida State College?

[tufsu1]

^ It would seem, under this legislation, that many of the former community colleges around the state would have to change their name again.

As to the FSCJ thing, I would have liked to see them keep the moniker FCCJ...and just have it stand for First Coast College at Jacksonville.

[finehoe]

Maybe they could revert to their original name, Florida Junior College.

[finehoe]

My guess is the "for profit" colleges are behind it but again, I don't know the benefit.

Negron is in the pocket of Big Sugar.  Maybe they have a reason for wanting it.

[copperfiend]

As for the OP, there is already a "Jacksonville College" in Texas.