The University of Wisconsin System is changing its identity to the “Universities of Wisconsin” in a rebrand costing around $480,000. The president of the system, Jay Rothman, identified the rebrand as necessary, claiming it would help draw in more students and increase the number of graduates across University of Wisconsin schools.
But nearly half a million dollars spent on a simple name change and rebrand is extravagant and is not what will ultimately attract students to attend a public university in Wisconsin. These funds should have been allocated to improve facilities on University of Wisconsin campuses and fund programs that could actually entice undergraduate students to work in Wisconsin after graduation.
Rothman told CBS 58 the rebranded name puts an emphasis on Wisconsin instead of the system and the new name focuses more on the campuses and the universities Wisconsin offers. Rothman also said Wisconsin is in desperate need of workers in various fields such as education, nursing and business and that this change could encourage students to stay in Wisconsin after graduation.
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But these arguments are not enough to justify the cost of this rebrand. First, the “Universities of Wisconsin” name change could potentially be confusing as the University of Wisconsin–Madison can be referred to as the University of Wisconsin. This could cause confusion and draw away from the intended effect of the change which would be to direct attention to other Wisconsin universities.
Second, just because a student attends college in Wisconsin does not mean the student will plan to stay in Wisconsin after graduation. The ongoing trend for many years is college graduates move to big cities after graduation, such as Chicago or New York according to Slate.
While this trend is slowing to include some students who move in with their parents after graduation, it is still accurate that most students move to cities post-grad according to Slate. It is easier for students to find a well-paying career in a city with a larger job market than to find a job in Wisconsin.
This is clear as no cities in Wisconsin crack the top 15 cities in the US which receive the most job applications from post-grads according to Handshake’s blog. A simple name change and rebrand is not likely to encourage students to stay in Wisconsin after graduation if wages are lower than in other job markets.
Especially with the pull of $32 million of state funding from the system this summer, the Universities of Wisconsin need to utilize the budget they do have to the best of their ability and this rebrand was not the way to do so. Instead, the system should focus on improving class buildings and resources on campuses across Wisconsin to truly entice students to come study in the state.
Additionally, to keep students in Wisconsin after graduation, the system should work on implementing programs which offer benefits to students who work in Wisconsin post-grad. These programs already exist at some schools, like the UW-Madison School of Education Wisconsin Teacher Pledge Program which rewards students who teach in Wisconsin for three to four years after graduation by paying in-state tuition, testing and licensing fees.
Expanding or creating more programs like this across Wisconsin universities may actually be able to convince students to stay, but a name change likely will not.
The University of Wisconsin System or “Universities of Wisconsin” must use their budget more carefully in the future, as this rebranding decision will likely not have the impact they hope.
Emily Otten ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in journalism.
