Purdue University Northwest students upset diplomas will reflect satellite campus location

HAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) -- Students at Purdue University Northwest were informed last week that their diplomas would reflect that they graduated from a satellite campus. An email from the Chancellor included a mock-up of the diploma students will receive when they graduate May of 2019.

The change does not sit well with students. Hundreds came out for a protest against the diploma differentiation Monday.

Students said while adding the word "Northwest" may seem minor, it implies that the nearly 12,000 students who attend campuses in Hammond and Westville, Indiana, were not afforded the same prestigious education as students on the main Purdue campus.

Diplomas for Purdue University Fort Wayne and Purdue University Global will also be adjusted.

A petition on Change.org to keep all the diplomas the same has already gotten nearly 12,000 signatures.

The school's chancellor said in the diploma change announcement:

"The significance of this change for Purdue Northwest is further cementing our unique identity as a university that is strong, vibrant, innovative, diverse and increasingly a competitive choice for exceptional, nationally-recognized undergraduate and graduate education."

A spokesperson for Purdue University Northwest said the school encourages students to express their views and will hold open conversations between students and the university later this week to bring about a better understanding on this issue.