University of Arkansas is renaming its ISIS student registration system because of the acronym's 'negative meanings'

  • Spokesman said name change was finalized before deadly attacks in Paris
  • Beginning in January, students will use the UAConnect computer system 
  • No campus campaign to change name, but students are fine with switch
  • Company with Nasdaq ticker symbol ISIS, Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc, is also thinking of changing its name and re-branding after the attacks in Paris

By Associated Press and Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: | Updated:

Students at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville will no longer register for classes with ISIS - that is, the Integrated Student Information System.

Beginning in January, students will set their schedules using the UAConnect computer system.

University spokesman Steve Voorhies said the name change was finalized well before last week's deadly attacks in Paris that have been attributed to the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS.

The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville will eliminate its Integrated Student Information System - ISIS (seen above) - because of the 'negative meanings' that are associated with the acronym

The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville will eliminate its Integrated Student Information System - ISIS (seen above) - because of the 'negative meanings' that are associated with the acronym

The UAConnect name is preferable because it describes the registration system and removes the 'negative meanings' associated with the acronym ISIS, Voorhies told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. 

Voorhies said the university's top administrators, including interim Chancellor Dan Ferritor, agreed to the change.

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Ferritor said the new name has been in the works since before he became interim chancellor in August. 

There was no campaign on campus to make the change, but students are open to the switch. 

UA student Blake Emerson said: 'I've never really understood the ISIS.

'I mean, I never really thought anything bad about it.

'But I'm definitely OK with them changing it.'

The company with the Nasdaq ticker symbol ISIS, Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc, is also thinking of changing its name and re-branding after the attacks in Paris, Bloomberg reported. 

The drugmaker has employees who are French natives and the tragedy affected them personally.

Spokesman Wade Walker said: 'We want the story to be about the medicines that we're creating, and not about our name.

'If it looks like it's come to that point, and it may have - that it's become too much of a distraction away from our core mission, and our focus - then it's time for a change.'

The company is still weighing its options, but a decision is expected 'fairly soon'.

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