The words “Eastern Mennonite University” appear only once on the home screen of EMU’s website: in small white letters at the bottom left hand corner of the page.

The phrase “A Christian University Like No Other” has been placed on the shelf as the school outsources for an alternative tagline.

These two modifications, implemented in 2018, illustrate a broader discussion taking place within administration and the student body. Questions of how, when, and why EMU should “rebrand” or even rename itself have been circulating on campus.

“EMU needs some pretty substantial shifts,” said senior SGA member Luke Mullet. “My impression is that [EMU] is just kind of simmering right now and asking, ‘What are we exactly?’”

“Based on new research, rebranding EMU is an issue that needs to be considered,” said Jim Smucker, VP for Enrollment and Student Life.

“For Mennonite education and for EMU, we matured in the mid-80s, when I was sitting in your seat,” Smucker told a group of more than 30 students who gathered in Common Grounds last Thursday night, alluding to a business-model sigmoidal curve on the PowerPoint behind him. “That’s when Mennonite colleges had the highest enrollment. Since then, it has started to slip.”

Why the slip, and how should EMU address it?

An EMU task force has combined efforts with Southeastern Institute of Research, a Richmond-based market research consultant, to help find out. At least three research efforts have been conducted over the past year: a questionnaire for 400 16-to18-year-olds, a secondary competitive assessment of eight other universities and their marketing strategies, and online “focus groups” consisting of groups of 20 undergraduate EMU students, 25 faculty/staff members, 20 alumni and members, and 20 adult/ graduate students. Smucker expressed confidence in the data.

“I am going to be very transparent with you guys here tonight,” Smucker said. “I’m just gonna show you the data. Don’t shoot the messenger.” Students half-chuckled, complementing the tense sentiment in the room.

The research produced six “themes.” The fourth theme is that “the word ‘Mennonite’ in [EMU’s] name raises questions of exclusivity in the mind of prospective students.” Smucker shared data showing 48% of prospective students are “unlikely” or “very unlikely” to attend a university with the word “Mennonite” in its name.

“That’s huge for us,” Smucker said. “Almost 50% of those students wouldn’t even consider us because Mennonite is in our name … We have a lot of data on this.”

Other findings: There is tension in the community along the scale of traditionalist and progressive perspectives. The percentage of Mennonite students at EMU has dropped from 70% to 28% between 2006 and today. In 2018, Bridgewater College received 6,300 applications; EMU received 1,200.

Mullet sees a possible move away from the Mennonite name as an opportunity for EMU “to start addressing some of the divisions that are within the student body itself.” An approach of being “motivated by theology but not ruled by theology” is a way in which EMU could move forward, Mullet argues.

“EMU could brand itself saying, ‘If you come here, you get to join in on conversations about bridge-building and conflict resolution in different ways,’ rather than it being imposed upon you or being forced to assimilate into the [Mennonite] culture,” he said.

“I think if EMU can continue to be very transparent with us, good things will come of it,” said junior Ella Reist. “At the same time, I think that there’s so much more to it than we can possibly see as students, and what may not always feel as the most transparent communication, is as transparent as [it] can be.”

Reist pointed to values like hard work, frugality, and inclusivity that EMU embodies. “If we can reinvent ourselves to focus on those values, while acknowledging that yes, religion is part of it, I think that could be one potential way to find a middle ground between holding the values of being Mennonite while also not coming across to prospective students as ‘too religious.’”

On Thursday night, Smucker maintained that ongoing discussions about rebranding concern marketing, not a change in EMU’s values as a university. Still, the idea of moving away from the Mennonite brand has some students wondering the impact these changes will have on the school.

“I don’t have a problem with dropping the Mennonite name,” said senior Trevor Oyer. “But I certainly want to keep Mennonite values at the core of the institution, of those being nonviolence, reconciliation, peacemaking, Christ’s teachings. We should continue to share and embrace Mennonite values even without the word Mennonite in our name.”

Although students discussed the issue of a university name change, Smucker emphasized that the purpose of the conversation was not to address a name change. “What the taskforce is recommending is that we get serious and explore a name change,” Smucker said.

Junior Alcinda Brubaker voiced her opinion that keeping words like “Jesus” and “Christ-like” in EMU’s positioning statement, an internal document stating how EMU wants to be positioned in the marketplace, is significant. “Keeping it faith-based is really important, I just wouldn’t specify exactly what faith,” she said.

Brubaker feels EMU has waited too long to start this process. “It’s better to start now than not at all,” she said. “But we’re going to have to catch up a lot to some other private Christian colleges that we’re competing with.” She also expressed concern over Smucker’s departure from EMU, raising the question of who will take his place and how the process will continue after his exit.