Two of the three new colleges at USM were officially named last week. USM President Selma Botman sent an e-mail on Dec. 14 announcing the decision.

The College of Engineering, Health Professions, Nursing, Science and Technology, or the “red” college, is now the College of Science, Technology and Health. The College of Communication, Culture and the Arts, or the “green” college, is now The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The old names of the colleges were only temporary and assigned during the academic reorganization.

The other new college, the College of Public Service, Business, Graduate Education and Social Work, or the “purple” college, couldn’t come to a consensus for a new name.

The college will begin the process again in the spring semester.

The newly-named colleges began brainstorming for a name in September. Faculty and staff helped come up with names before the colleges submitted a few names to Botman and Meg Weston, vice president of advancement in October.

After input from university’s marketing firm and focus groups, the administration gave the names back to the colleges for more work. President Botman said the two colleges submitted a few names to her, and she confirmed their top choice with her decision.

The changes, although official, won’t come into effect for students until the fall of 2011, according to Botman.

Botman said the inability of the “purple” college to agree on a name doesn’t reflect any larger differences in the unit. The “purple” college began the naming process before the other colleges, because they’re conducting a national search for a dean.

“Every college had to do with the issues of building community. The “purple” college is no different,” she said.