Let state universities pick their own names

Just as predictably as the swallows return to Capistrano, Southwest Missouri State University has returned to the Missouri Legislature in its never-ending effort to change its name to Missouri State University.

The name change is a matter of pride and status for the Springfield, Mo., school, whose enrollment is second only to the University of Missouri four-campus system. SMS believes the new name would place it on a par with other state universities such as Kansas State and Iowa State.

The naming uniformity of Missouri's five regional state universities was broken a few years ago when Northeast Missouri State University at Kirksville became Truman State University. So what's wrong with letting SMS become MSU? Nothing. But the bill in the Legislature doesn't go far enough. Why not allow all of the regional universities to pick whatever name they think will best reflect their missions and locations?

If approved, some universities might want to pick names to honor big donors -- really big donors, we would hope. Southeast Missouri State University here in Cape Girardeau might want to keep its name, which reflects its service area and has historic underpinnings. Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville might even consider becoming Southern Iowa State University to reflect the origins of a big chunk of its student body.