By Ally Kaplan, News Correspondent

What’s in a name? What’s in the changing of a name? The club once known as NUBiLaGA, which stood for Northeastern University Bisexual, Lesbian, and Gay Alliance, has changed its name to NU Pride last month.

Andra Oshinsky, director of social and political affairs at the newly-minted NU Pride, said the name change had been “talked about for at least three years.”

Now, following motions ranging from the formation of a Name-Change Committee to the consulting of alumni on the e-board for NUBiLaGA, the decision has been finalized.

At this point, “more than half” of the group is supportive of the change. Oshin

sky, a senior communication studies major, said she is also one of the supporters of the change.

“Membership is ever-changing,” she said. “There’s a need to acknowledge the diversity of members” on the “gender/sexuality spectrum … [and] umbrella.”

The name change reflects that the group’s base is wider than the previous name implied: Also welcome are students who are queer, questioning, transgendered, asexual, and students of all sexual identities and orientations, including straight students as well.

“If [non-LGBT] people who are new to the group begin to separate themselves, like saying, ‘I’m different than you’ … that could foster negative results,” said Ryan Terry, a junior business major. “The organization is about tolerance.”

The name change, Oshinsky said, is “a statement of diversity and inclusion,” a move to involve people “of any stripe.”

Despite the name change, the group’s focus will not change, Oshinsky said. NU Pride will continue to welcome all students to its proposed future initiatives, which include an upcoming drag show and a speech by Muslim activist Raquel Evita.