Should it be Family, Consumer, and Education Sciences, or Education, Family and Consumer Sciences?

Or what about Consumer, Education and Family Sciences?

As part of the effort to merge the colleges of Family and Consumer Sciences and Education, a working group has been commissioned to decide the name and mission statement for the new combined college.

The College Name and Mission Working Group has five names and three mission statements under consideration, trimmed down and compiled from committee member submissions. The committee was formed in spring 2004.

The three mission statements contain the same core values: community, creativity, diversity and service.

One mission statement received a 62 percent approval rating at an Aug. 19 meeting of faculty members of both colleges. The other missions will be discussed and changes will be made.

The proposed college names focus on education, family and consumer and human sciences, though they have slight variations.

“[The name] will still require some work, and I expect another survey of faculty and staff,” Jerry Thomas, the interim dean of the College of Education, said in an e-mail message. “It’s unclear if the name will end up as any of these, although all the elements are likely somewhere in this mix.”

Pamela White, the FCS interim dean, said she believes each name option could work for the college. She said, however, that she would like more input from students, alumni and others. White said the name must reflect the college and satisfy as many individuals as possible.

Many names have been considered, and no option received 30 percent support from the combined faculty.

Students are also included in the naming process.

Mary Linnenbrink, senior in family and consumer sciences education, prefers the name “Education, Family, and Consumer Sciences” because it lists both colleges’ names. She is not, however, leaning toward “Human Sciences” because she said it doesn’t mean anything to her.

Linnenbrink, a member of the name and mission working group, said the mission statement should include family.

“It is the focus of many of the majors within both colleges,” she said.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy suggested combining the two colleges because of their similarities. The merge should also be a cost-saving measure, as an administrative structure is formed to govern both areas.

The money saved will be put into student programs.

Students should not be concerned about the merger affecting their programs, White said. No majors or other academic programs will be cut.

“This change clearly is in administrative areas,” White said.

The committee expects to review the final reports from each working group by Sept. 17. After approval from the committee, the proposals must be submitted to the Board of Regents. The committee hopes to have all plans submitted in December so the board can review them in January or February.

The colleges will merge in July 2005.