University of Great Falls to get new name, colors

The rumblings of change have been echoing through the halls of the University of Great Falls for more than a year.

In the past few weeks, alumni, current students, staff and faculty have answered surveys that probed for thoughts on proposed changes.

Now, UGF President Tony Aretz is ready to start making the prospective changes a reality.

UGF is only months away from a total rebranding, including a new name, new colors, the creation of a School of Health Sciences and new undergraduate and graduate programs for students.

“The idea was there, but they wanted to hire a president to make it happen,” Aretz said. “This conversation started last year, but the case for change became stronger since I’ve arrived. We’re entering a new phase of life. It’s like a coming of age. We’re a university. We need a new identity.”

Aretz hit the ground running after officially being hired to lead the university last July. He said he hopes to create a campus the community can rally behind.

“I hope UGF comes to be known as Great Falls’ university,” Aretz said. “There are the die-hard Griz fans and the die-hard Cats fans. What if people became die-hard Argos fans? We’re here as an ivory tower in the city, but we don’t do much together. I want to change that. Cities can thrive when they partner with a university.”

The university already has conducted surveys and focus groups with their primary constituents. Denise Czuprynski, UGF executive director of marketing and communications, said the majority of people have responded positively to the proposed changes.

On Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m. and on Jan. 20 at noon, UGF will be hosting alumni forum meetings in the Student Center to take comments and answer questions before the recommended changes are presented to the school board for approval on Feb 1. If the plans are approved, Aretz will then present for final approval the plans to the Providence St. Joseph Board, with which the school partners.

Barring board rejection or insufficient funding, changes will go into effect on July 1.

“We’re able to make changes more quickly as a private institution,” Czuprynski said.

According to Aretz, there are four major motivators behind the upcoming changes. The first is simply business.

Aretz has set a goal of increasing student enrollment by 10,000 students over the next 10 years by doubling on-campus numbers and expanding distance-learning programs. But, he said he can’t do so without making UGF an enticing option for potential students.

“We need to be doing more intentional recruiting,” Aretz said. “When you take all of the college-bound high school seniors in Montana, divide out those that will attend the larger universities in Missoula and Bozeman, that leaves 71 students for us smaller colleges to fight for. We have to go outside Montana for students.”

Aretz’s second reason for major change is to make the school’s partnership with Providence St. Joseph more apparent to potential students. Providence St. Joseph is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the country.

The school’s new name likely will include the word Providence.

UGF is the only university in the country partnered with the health group, and Aretz sees this as an untapped opportunity to grow the school’s health sciences offerings.

Aretz plans to create a School of Health Sciences and expand current health programs. The School of Health Sciences primarily will offer online, distance-learning classes with a few hybrid options.

According to Aretz, there are currently 9,000 families working in the Providence system with students in high school. He said UGF’s partnership gives them a built-in advantage for bringing some of these students to Great Falls, either in person or online.

Aretz also said he advocates for a name change because University of Great Falls doesn’t indicate that the school is faith-based.

UGF was founded in 1932 by the Most Rev. Edwin V. O'Hara, Catholic Bishop of Great Falls, in collaboration with the Sisters of Charity of Providence and the Ursuline Sisters. UGF will likely adopt a name that pays reverence to its catholic roots.

Finally, Aretz cites general confusion in the market about the difference between Great Falls College-Montana State University and the University of Great Falls as reason to create a distinctive name for the school. Both colleges have undergone name changes with variations of College of Great Falls in the past 50 years.

UGF began as Great Falls Normal College in 1933, changing to College of Great Falls of Education in 1942, shortening to College of Great Falls in the 1950s and then finally being named the University of Great Falls in 1995.

“My experience is when people understand why, they will support it, but they will always be attached to the school they went to,” Aretz said. “That’s partly why we will stay the Argos. People are proud to be the only Argonauts in the United States.”

But, the college needs to change and evolve to meet the needs of the time, Aretz continued.

Aretz gleams as he speaks of the of future of the school.

“There’s a lot of excitement to come.”

Timeline of school

1932 — Founded by Bishop O’Hara, the Sisters of Providence and the Ursuline Sisters as a two-year Junior College for Women. Classes were held in Ursuline Academy

1933 — Sisters of Providence started Great Falls Normal College

1937 — First male was admitted

1942 — Junior College was discontinued and the Normal College became the College of Great Falls of Education operated by the Sisters of Providence. Classes were held in Columbus Hospital

1950s — Became the College of Great Falls

1958 — Third campus in the country to offer distance education using television broadcasts

1960 — The current campus was opened

Late 70s to mid 80s — UGF went through a period of financial exigency and athletic and residential programs were discontinued to focus on becoming a commuter campus

1995 — Became the University of Great Falls