The Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy is closer to a new, shorter name after the Ohio House of Representatives passed a measure that would make the school known as Northeast Ohio Medical University.
House Bill 139 passed by a vote of 94-1 and moves onto the Ohio Senate. An “emergency” clause in the legislation would allow the name change to immediately go into effect upon state approval, perhaps in time for graduation ceremonies next month, the Record-Pub reported.
The medical school has been moving toward its new name since last summer when trustees unanimously voted to change it. However, NEOUCOM can’t take on its new name until lawmakers approve the change.
Established by the Ohio legislature in 1973, the Rootstown, Ohio university is a state medical school that partnered the University of Akron, Kent State University and Youngstown State University until 2008, when Cleveland State University joined the group.
“NEOUCOM has grown from a single college of medicine to a health sciences university with three colleges: medicine, pharmacy and graduate studies,” said Rep. Kathleen Clyde, D-Kent. “The name NEOUCOM no longer reflects the growth and transformation of the institution.”
NEOUCOM is in the midst of implementing a new strategic plan that’s involved splitting the jobs of president and dean of medicine, and hiring its first-ever dean of graduate studies. The university is also planning to construct a new $42 million, 77,000-square-foot research facility.
