A: The official name will be Oakwood University.

A: The official name change will take effect on January 1, 2008.

A: Eight to ten years ago, people on and off campus began talking about the need for Oakwood College to expand and begin offering graduate programs. Over the past few years, it was generally agreed that Oakwood was prepared to take the logical next step in its development, which is to move to university status.

A: The constitution and bylaws of the institution state that such a decision can only be made by a vote of the constituency of the institution.

A: Yes. Input was sought from all of the different constituent groups—the students, staff, administrators, alumni, community, friends, and supporters. Feasibility studies were made. Of course, the Board of Trustees oversaw the entire process. On December 2, 2007, the name change was voted and made official at a specially-called constituency meeting.

A: All diplomas issued after January 1, 2008, will have Oakwood University listed on them.

A: Yes, It is the practice in the academic community that when the institution changes its name, its graduates have the opportunity of selecting whether to maintain the old name on their academic file, or to update it to reflect the new identity of the institution. So Oakwood will follow that practice. Past alumni may request a new diploma with the updated name.

A: Yes. Once the institution changes its name and all of its official current records, it will be listed by that new name. When an employer or another educational institution looks up Oakwood to verify its accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the institution will be listed as Oakwood University. This will not be an issue in most cases, especially if the alumnus already has postgraduate degrees, but some alumni will find it beneficial to have the new name on their diplomas.

A: No. Tuition increases are almost always the result of increased operating costs. The name change alone would not necessitate such an increase.

A: Over the past decade, the academic community at Oakwood has been engaged in an assessment of the institution’s strengths as well as its challenges. For 50 years, since its initial accreditation in 1958, Oakwood has been a level-2 institution, able to offer bachelor’s degrees. In 2007, Oakwood was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to move to a level-3 institution able to award master’s degrees.

A: No. A thorough search by the university and General Conference attorneys indicated that the name Oakwood University is legally free and clear. A corporate entity uses the name to describe its in-house training program, but it was determined that this usage is substantially and legally different from our use of the term Oakwood University.

A: Yes!

A: The immediate costs for the name change involve signage on highways, entry gates, campus buildings, lampposts, the electronic marquee, and campus roads. Other costs involve changes made to diplomas, transcripts, recruitment materials, office stationery items, uniforms, campus vehicles, etc. There are legal expenses for official documents and the radio station’s new call letters. The college has been budgeting over the past few years in anticipation of the name change.

A: It may be referenced as Oakwood University (formerly Oakwood College).

A: Yes. The bookstore will continue to sell such merchandise until the supply runs out.

A: We will publish a date for the availability of Oakwood University merchandise.

A: There is no future change anticipated. As the institution offers more graduate level courses over ensuing years, the “level” designation will change, but the university designation will remain.

A: Oakwood University needs the help of its campus and community family, and all stakeholders, including supporters and our alumni. You can help by going online, by getting information, and by asking questions. When asked what Oakwood University means, you can be knowledgeable.

We invite you to share our enthusiasm over the name change. We’re excited about it, so celebrate with us. Oakwood is moving forward. This year brought the highest enrollment in Oakwood’s history -- 1,824! The Bradford Cleveland Brooks Leadership Center held its grand opening. The new men’s dormitory is nearing completion. Dynamic new programs are being offered in the academic departments. We are listed in US News and World Report as the top HBCU Southern area.

You can help by making a donation. Studies show that the name Oakwood University will attract donors. Oakwood exists solely for the education of a new generation of leaders. Your support is vital as the institution makes this next step.

You can help by networking with faculty, administrators, and other alumni. Your suggestions on how Oakwood can better meet the challenges of this new century are of great value to us. And by all means, refer your young people to Oakwood University.

You can pray for us, that God will bless Oakwood University as He has blessed this institution in the past.

A: New call letters for Praise 90.1 FM are being investigated. We will announce the new letters when approval is received from the Federal Communication Commission.