From HFCC to HFC: Students Sound off on College Name Change

In May at its 75th anniversary gala, HFCC underwent a major transition: it officially dropped a letter from its initials.

The celebration unveiled the college’s new name, now simply known as Henry Ford College.

Abandoning the word “community” in a college’s name has become a growing trend in the past 10 years, reports The Arab American Times. Forty colleges have dropped the word from their name, including Schoolcraft College in Livonia and Jackson College in Jackson, a city in the southern part of Michigan.

The HFC Board of Trustees voted unanimously for the new name in April.

The primary reason for the name change is to allow HFC to offer bachelor’s degrees, in addition to its associate’s degrees and certifications. At the moment, the college will be offering degrees in technical programs and eventually culinary arts, which is set to launch next year. (hfcc.edu)

When asked about the college’s new change, students responded positively to the news.

“It feels official, like we’re a part of a real college” said Eman Al-Ziyadi. “It’s good for the students who want to get a four year degree.”

Along with the ability to acquire bachelor’s degrees, students such as Jasmine Foster and Rashada Tucker feel that the negative connation associated with the college will vanish now that “community” is no longer part of the name.

“When you tell people you go to a community college, they look down on you; like you’re not as good as somebody that goes to a university” said Tucker.
With the official change to HFC, Foster now feels like she is attending “a real college.”

Although community is no longer part of the college’s name, President Stan Jensen stated that HFC will continue to play an active role in the Dearborn community, according to an article from the college’s website.

With HFC now taking on some of the responsibilities of a university, do students believe with the objectives of the school will change, such as tuition hikes, or bigger classroom sizes? Not likely.

“I think things will stay the same” said Hussein Sobh.

Student Bil Haman also agreed stating “I don’t think the school is going to change. I think it will still be affordable and a place where you can get a good education.”

Along with its brand new name, HFC also revealed a new logo and brand statement, called Future Driven, in hopes that students will remain driven for their education and careers.