The Two Mount Saint Mary’s Universities Facing Off in Legal Battle

This past January Mount Saint Mary’s College, an educational institution for women founded in Los Angeles in 1925, changed its named to Mount Saint Mary’s University. The name change reflects the institution’s 11 graduate degree programs. The university enrolls about 2,700 undergraduates and 625 graduate students. The university’s graduate degree and weekend baccalaureate programs for adults are co-educational.

Across the country in Emmitsburg, Maryland, is another Mount Saint Mary’s University and it’s not too happy with the name change of the Los Angeles institution. In fact, the Maryland university has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in federal court.

Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland, founded in 1808, enrolls about 1,800 undergraduates and 500 graduate students. Women make up 56 percent of the undergraduate student body. Both universities are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.

The suit says the Los Angeles university “unlawfully trades on the good will and reputation” of the Maryland institution by marketing its online degree programs throughout the country.

In a statement, Mount Saint Mary’s University of Los Angeles said that “we are surprised and saddened that an institution of higher learning, particularly a fellow Catholic institution, would elect to allocate limited resources to litigation. We look forward to a swift and amicable resolution so that our two institutions can focus on what we do best – serving our respective students and communities.”