The following is in response to “The Metropolitan’s response to DU’s letter,” Staff-Editorial, Feb. 9, 2012.

Contrary to your recent editorial, Metro State’s administration and trustees did not “cower” or bend to the will of the University of Denver regarding our proposed name change to Metropolitan State University of Denver.

As appointed officials, the Board of Trustees was required to weigh many issues before making the only possible decision under the circumstances. It is a decision we did not make lightly, and now Metro State is well on its way to getting a name that better reflects what it is today — one of the largest urban four-year public universities in the country.

I know it is difficult for some students to accept, but it’s true: Metro State’s administration and trustees explored and exhausted all of the College’s options in this renaming process. I know because I was there as your student trustee. We were advised last year that many state lawmakers would not support our first choice of Denver State University, and that trying to force the issue through the legislature might have sunk our efforts to get “university” included in our new name at all.

Finally, we knew it would have been fiscally irresponsible — especially at a time when public colleges are dealing with deep budget cuts — to invest funding on a potentially expensive court challenge by DU.

We worked hard to put forth a name that will recast the College’s image, dispel misperceptions that Metro State is a community college, and allow Metro State students to graduate from a university. Plus, while weighing our options, we took into consideration the wishes of many alumni who wanted to preserve “Metropolitan” in the name.

It is my hope that the students will come together to support the name that has the best chance of making it through the legislative process: Metropolitan State University of Denver. If all goes according to plan, our c’ollege will roll out its new name next fall. After that, the sky is the limit for us university graduates — and we should make the most of that.
-Jacob LaBure
Student Trustee, Metro State Board of Trustees