Job Fickett, secretary for athletic affairs for student government at UNC-C, said he is working on a survey that will help gauge student support for a potential name change. The survey will also cover a range of student issues.

“The name lends itself to confusion,” Fickett said. “Each of the UNC schools is a separate entity and not satellites of each other.”

University administrators said in order to change the name of the school, the student body president is required to make a formal proposal to the UNC-C Board of Trustees and the UNC-system Board of Governors.

Members of student government at UNC-C said they want to make sure they have full support from students before making a formal proposal.

“This will take a lot of political capital to try to do a name change,” Fickett said.

The university’s administration recently finished a two-year advertising campaign to publicize the school’s current name.

Despite student interest, many administrators said they are not on board for a name change.

UNC-C Chancellor Philip Dubois said in a statement he believes the school’s name should stay the same.

John Bland, spokesman for the university, said it is important UNC-C maintain the connection with the system.

“The UNC system is one of the finest in the nation, and our association with it is a source of pride on our campus and a source of recognition nationally,” Bland said. “There’s great equity in the UNC brand, and UNC-Charlotte, as North Carolina’s urban research university, is an integral part of the UNC system.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.