By BOB OLIVER
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — Henry Ford Community College may become Henry Ford College in the next two months.
The proposed name change was discussed by the Board of Trustees at its March 17 meeting. A vote to change the name could come as early as the board’s next meeting April 21.
HFCC Executive Director of Research Becky Chadwick said the college has discussed the possibility of changing its name for the past year because it is seeking to get accreditation to offer four-year degrees in a few programs. The office of communications is in the midst of marketing research for new branding and imaging and the college is preparing to complete new signage campus-wide, she said
“If we are going to change the name of the college, now would be the opportune time to do it,” Chadwick said.
The college was originally names Fordson Junior College when it was opened in 1938. It became Dearborn Junior College in 1946 and after the merging of DJC with the Henry Ford Trade School became HFCC in 1952.
To change the name, the college would have to notify the state and Department of Education about the change and the board would have to vote to officially change it.
HFCC President Stan Jensen said other colleges also have adjusted their names by dropping the word “community” from their title, most recently Jackson College, which was Jackson Community College until last year.
“We’re not losing anything, especially as far as our focus and dedication to the community is concerned,” Jensen said. “We’ve been adding services and programs and the name change will reflect that.”
Trustee Aimee Schoelles said she was initially against the name change but has grown to feel that it is necessary.
“I think the name change show’s that we’re growing up,” Schoelles said. “We’re not just a one purpose institution anymore, we are developing programs to help high schoolers to become more college-ready, we’ve diversified the college itself into more specific programs and we’re developing partnerships with several other colleges and universities.”
She also said the community would quickly get used to the name change, citing the combination of Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum into The Henry Ford as an example.
“People thought that it would never stick or work, but it does,” Schoelles said.
Trustee Roxanne McDonald agreed with the name change but stressed that it shouldn’t be perceived that the school is trying to take the “community” out of its title because it’s aiming at a different audience.
“The community is our biggest supporter and we are here for them,” McDonald said.
Jensen said the purpose of having an informal discussion about the change at the meeting was to gauge the interest of the board on the name change.
He said if the board voted at its next meeting to change the name, the college could begin discussions of when to announce the change and introduce it to the community.
The graduation ceremony and 75th Anniversary Gala, both scheduled in May, were two examples Jensen gave as events to announce the change.
Following the meeting, Board Chairman Hussein Berry said the board was in agreement about the name change and that a vote on the move should be on the agenda at its next meeting.
“I think we’re ready to move on this,” Berry said.
(Bob Oliver can be reached at [email protected])