SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — Summit University of Pennsylvania, formerly Baptist Bible College, will soon be known as Clarks Summit University, pending approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

“We expect to have that approval sometime later this Spring,” said Mel Walker, Vice President for Communications and External Relations. “And then we’ll still need to apply for a new web site URL and change other educational services.”

He said the school hopes to complete the name modification process before the start of the upcoming fall semester.

The university’s board of trustees voted to apply for the name adjustment after a trademark infringement was filed by Church Universal and Triumphant, Inc., which operates a religious school in Montana by the name of Summit University.

The name was initially changed from Baptist Bible College to Summit University of Pennsylvania in April 2015, when the school acquired university status. According to Walker, the college’s board of trustees was aware of the Montana institution, but initially believed the difference in names with the added “of Pennsylvania” to be of enough significance to avoid conflict.

According to a news release recently posted on the university’s website, an amicable agreement was reached by attorneys from both parties.

The release also stresses it is the school’s name only that is changing.

“The name will be modified,” it reads. “However, the university’s mission and doctrine will remain the same as it has since its inception in 1932.”

By Elizabeth Baumeister

ebaumeister@timesleader.com

Reach Elizabeth Baumeister at 570-704-3943 or on Twitter @AbingtonJournal.