Should UTEP change its name back to Texas Western
- Thread starter FiliUTEP
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I've never known it by any other name than UTEP in my lifetime, so I'll vote no.
No that would be the dumbest move ever. Changing the name to a directional school would be disastorous. Most people know who UTEP is. One of the great things Stull and Natalicio have done is increase the brand recognition. They fought for years to have the school go by UTEP on first reference. We are one of the only schools afforded that luxery. They are trying to build a nationally recognized University in academics and athletics. Switching to a regional directional school would dramatically hamper those efforts. 66 is done and over there will be no more public celebrations. Its time to retire the jerseys forever. We cant change our name back to Texas Western anyways under the bylaws of the UT System, in which we are the second oldest institution.
I'd say yes if a choice really existed.
People who've never heard of UTEP don't know what the letters stand for, so they're unaware of where UTEP is without it being explained to them or without them making an effort to find out. "Texas Western" is self explanatory, and the name will always carry a historic reputation with it.
Even though AP style allows "UTEP" on first reference, I see many articles (like game previews) use "Texas-El Paso", and a lot of game commentators still say "Texas-El Paso".
Plus, I'd love the pickax logo being used to spell out "Texas Western".
I do hope they at least continue using the Texas Western uniforms as alternates.
People who've never heard of UTEP don't know what the letters stand for, so they're unaware of where UTEP is without it being explained to them or without them making an effort to find out. "Texas Western" is self explanatory, and the name will always carry a historic reputation with it.
Even though AP style allows "UTEP" on first reference, I see many articles (like game previews) use "Texas-El Paso", and a lot of game commentators still say "Texas-El Paso".
Plus, I'd love the pickax logo being used to spell out "Texas Western".
I do hope they at least continue using the Texas Western uniforms as alternates.
I've heard it say history repeats itself approximately every 50 years, so maybe we are ready for a name change....University of El Paso maybe?....maybe not......Texas College of Mines, Texas Western College, University of Texas at El Paso....the school has always been a part of the University of Texas System since it was created by the Legislature back 1913...UT System would have to approve a name change....
I have heard clueless announcers refer to UTEP University - but that was some time ago.
My first year in college was 1969 - the year the university changed from Texas Western College to UTEP. They did this because the university became part of the UT-system, so the change was made to reflect that. I doubt very much we could change back.
It has happened to other Texas universities: East Texas State is now Texas A&M-Commerce. Pan American University became UT-Pan American (which has now apparently become UT-Rio Grande Valley since it merged with UT-Brownsville). Texas A&I became Texas A&M - Corpus Christi. These are just a few examples.
Finally, my university (Sam Houston State University) nearly became Texas State University - Huntsville. However our state rep was enable to pass a law in the Texas statehouse that specifically prevents that.
Yeah, I know - more information that you wanted to know. Sorry about that.
lieb
My first year in college was 1969 - the year the university changed from Texas Western College to UTEP. They did this because the university became part of the UT-system, so the change was made to reflect that. I doubt very much we could change back.
It has happened to other Texas universities: East Texas State is now Texas A&M-Commerce. Pan American University became UT-Pan American (which has now apparently become UT-Rio Grande Valley since it merged with UT-Brownsville). Texas A&I became Texas A&M - Corpus Christi. These are just a few examples.
Finally, my university (Sam Houston State University) nearly became Texas State University - Huntsville. However our state rep was enable to pass a law in the Texas statehouse that specifically prevents that.
Yeah, I know - more information that you wanted to know. Sorry about that.
lieb
I think the time has passed for the name Texas Western. If it was going to happen it should have been back in 1967 when the name was changed due to the re-org of the UT system. Texas Western was a part of the UT system prior to the name change and re-org as well. It was TWC of the Univ of Texas. TCM was part of the UT system also.
http://encyclopedia.utep.edu/index.php/Men's_Basketball
First game: 1914. So the answer is yes to TCM having a men's BB.
First game: 1914. So the answer is yes to TCM having a men's BB.
is there pics of these jerseys? Maybe UTEP can wear retro jerseys of these. That would be cool.
Changing the name right after winning a national championship was a horrible marketing mistake. But it's done, and the school has been known as UTEP for almost 50 years. It makes no sense to change it back.
I'd leave it as UTEP. That's the brand name people acknowledge the school by. Short of any alumni or historical reference, few outside of EP know who or what was Texas Western.
Brand awareness is important in recruiting.
Brand awareness is important in recruiting.
It will never happen. Strength, resources, political geography, common goal are the things instrumental to belonging to the current system.
(strongly worded email)
Dear stuffed shirts at UT Board of Regents,
We the humble people of El Paso, having had the good grace and character to change names from Texas Western to Texas El Paso, and having had time to consider the pros and cons of such a change for almost 50 years, have decided to reclaim the prior name forthwith and desist from acknowledging the latter and any previous nomenclature.
Yours truly
(every citizen of El Paso and alumni of the University formerly known as Texas Western, then UTEP, now formerly UTEP and presently, Texas Western.
Dear stuffed shirts at UT Board of Regents,
We the humble people of El Paso, having had the good grace and character to change names from Texas Western to Texas El Paso, and having had time to consider the pros and cons of such a change for almost 50 years, have decided to reclaim the prior name forthwith and desist from acknowledging the latter and any previous nomenclature.
Yours truly
(every citizen of El Paso and alumni of the University formerly known as Texas Western, then UTEP, now formerly UTEP and presently, Texas Western.
My vote is YES. Texas Western was El Paso. It reflects who El Paso is and stands for. The legendary name goes way beyond the disrespectful "directional school" label. Since 1966 Texas Western is thought of in the same way as Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech. Changing the name to UTEP reflected corporate subordancy with no individual voice whatsoever. When I went to UTEP people in Austin, Dallas, Houston could cared less about El Paso much less being in "The U T System". To this day I still get asked "what's a UTEP"?
Its the fiftieth anniversary of the championship. Texas Western will not come up in popular culture anymore. No one knows who Texas Western is. Nobody wants to be a dirrectional school. Its a stupid name. Not to mention renaming and rebranding the school would cost millions at least 10 million. Paying money to get less name recognition, and prestige would be the dumpest thing ever. The name Texas Western came from a time when there were two schools in the UT system. We were a subsidiary of ut austin not the system. Thats where the name came from we were Texas's Western campus. Thats why our official alma matter song is "eyes of Texas" and our fight song is "texas fight aka Miners fight". In 1967 the ut system changed instead of an affiliated school we became and independent university under the UT system not UT Austin. The name Texas Western no longer made sense. We arent a small college we are a major university. UTEP is a nationally recognized brand, Texas Western is not.
Not the brightest idea I've ever heard. I came here in '66 just as Texas Western was transitioning from TWC to UTEP. The first year they were Texas Western College of the University of Texas. The 2nd year they were the University of Texas at El Paso of the University of Texas (what a mouthful that was). Finallly, they were simply the University of Texas at El Paso and were often referred to as UT El Paso. Natalicio was strong for the school to be referred to as UTEP and that finally was accepted by most. I remember folks from other areas of the country asking "what is a UTEP?" Kind of funny, actually.
Here is an informational video on the history of Texas Western College of the University of Texas made back in 1966...some clips of the football team and Bobby Joe Hills steals in the Championship game from actual TV footage for both.......
http://bit.ly/1MGHYsf
http://bit.ly/1MGHYsf
