Ulster University drops Magee name in Londonderry campus rebrand
- Published
The Magee campus gained its name from Martha Magee, who bequeathed a sum of money in the mid-1800s
Ulster University should have consulted with staff and the community before rebranding its Magee campus as "Derry~Londonderry", a union has said.
Staff have been told to no longer use "Magee" in external communications, according to emails seen by BBC News NI.
The University and College Union (UCU) said the rebrand should be assessed "for equality and good relations".
But the university denied there has been a name change.
It said "Ulster University" remains the overarching brand for all its campuses.
The university said the "geographical location" will be emphasised in marketing materials.
The Magee campus gained its name from Martha Magee, who bequeathed a sum of money in the mid-1800s to establish a Presbyterian theological college.
But in recent months "Derry~Londonderry", using a tilde symbol, has appeared more frequently in university communications to refer to the Magee campus.
'Possible confusion' for students
In June, a senior official at the university sent staff an internal email with the subject line: "Derry~Londonderry".
They wrote: "I am popping this email through to confirm that in our comms [communications] and marketing materials we should refer to Derry~Londonderry campus (not Magee)."
Another email said that "in written comms we have to refer to the campus as the Derry~Londonderry campus".
In other correspondence, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, it was argued international students and those from Great Britain would be "confused with Derry~Londonderry and Magee being used interchangeably".
Staff were also advised in July to use "Derry~Londonderry" rather than "Magee" in offer letters to prospective students.
History lecturer Dr Adrian Grant said he had concerns about the name being "relegated"
UCU equality officer Dr Linda Moore said the union was not consulted.
She referred to a university policy document on naming buildings which says proposals should be "assessed in terms of the impact on equality of opportunity and good relations".
Dr Moore added: "We are not aware of the current change in terminology for Magee having been assessed for equality and good relations, but it should be, and consultation should take place - including with the trade unions and local communities - where consideration is being given to the renaming or rebranding of any historic building."
Dr Adrian Grant, a UCU representative and history lecturer at the university, expressed concern about the Magee name being "relegated".
"I think it's very important for not just staff and students here, but for the wider community in the north west, that that history and that heritage is retained through that name," he said.
"I think consultation is key with staff, students and the wider community."
'Stroke city'
The London prefix was added to Derry when the city was granted a Royal Charter by King James I in the 1600s.
The use of Londonderry or Derry as the name of the city has long been a point of contention between unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland.
The peace bridge in Londonderry
References to "Derry/Londonderry" also gave rise to the jocular nickname "stroke city".
Instead of a hyphen or slash, a tilde symbol was used to separate the two names in branding when it became UK City of Culture in 2013.
An Equality Commission spokeswoman said that "when developing new or revising existing policies", the university should conduct an equality screening exercise "in line with its equality scheme".
She added: "From the information provided, it is not clear whether the university is developing a new policy or reviewing an existing policy and we can provide advice to the university on the matter.
"The commission can also provide advice to anyone who may believe that the university has failed to comply with its equality scheme."
Ulster University said staff are "free to refer to the campus by whichever designation they wish" but marketing materials will emphasise the "geographical location".
In a statement a spokeswoman said: "There has been no name change of the university's campus in Derry~Londonderry".
"Decisions have been taken as to how we describe this campus in marketing materials which emphasise the Ulster University brand and the geographical location of the campus."
Democratic Unionist Party MLA Gary Middleton said the move by Ulster University "is an abandonment of nearly 180 years of history".
He raised concerns that there appeared to have been "no consultation with either staff, students or the wider community".
"Corporate branding is obviously important to any organisation, but it shouldn't have to require the airbrushing of history," he added.
- Published21 June 2023
- Published20 June 2023
