By Katie Maddox, News Editor

The University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents voted early on April 16 to approve the university’s name change to Armstrong State University, dropping “Atlantic.”

In a mass email, President Linda Bleicken said that the name change “will help minimize confusion and create a stronger brand for Armstrong.”

The modification will be implemented beginning July 1, 2014.

Bleicken assured students that “no student fees will be used to fund the name modification,” and that the administration plans to “convene a task force to develop a strategy to implement the name change. Because most of the university’s signage, athletic uniforms and collateral materials already have the name “Armstrong,” rather than “Armstrong Atlantic,” the cost to implement the name change is expected to be minimal.”

This name modification plan has been in the works for several months now. On Armstrong’s Name Modification Initiative website, the school said that the original name is “confusing,” and that the new name “will help us attract new students, establish additional external partnerships and encourage additional fundraising.”

“Many people mistakenly think Armstrong’s name is Armstrong Atlanta State University. This confusion limits our ability to clearly brand Armstrong as a successful part of the University System of Georgia, with thriving campuses in Savannah and Hinesville.”

What do you think about the name change? Will it help improve Armstrong’s branding and avoid confusion, or do you see no need for the change? Let us know what you think.