Oklahoma State University has restored the name College of Veterinary Medicine some 15 years after the program became the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
The update brings Oklahoma State in line with other U.S. colleges and schools of veterinary medicine.
“Proper branding of our College of Veterinary Medicine is important to strengthen its place and reputation among its peer institutions and stakeholders worldwide,” said the college’s dean, Carlos Risco, DVM, DACT.
“Consistency is important, and when the name changed from College to Center, not everything changed,” he said. “For example, the bricked courtyard on the northeast side of McElroy Hall has a plaque commemorating its dedication that reads Walk of Honor, College of Veterinary Medicine. In contrast, the sign at the corner of the building reads McElroy Hall Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. Again, this is confusing to visitors from main campus and the public.”
The College of Veterinary Medicine became the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in 2004.
“The thought [was] it would better reflect all it encompassed, which was the College of Veterinary Medicine, the hospital, the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, the ranch and several research facilities,” said college spokeswoman Derinda Blakeney.
The now-deleted name “made it difficult for peer institutions, prospective faculty, professional and graduate students to know who we are and what we do,” Dr. Risco said.
“All the other veterinary colleges/schools have their name, and then under that umbrella falls their teaching hospital, their diagnostic lab if they have one and their research laboratories,” he said. “However, the name is veterinary college or veterinary school, which is easy to find when searching online.”