The name change event happened in the spring semester, 1998. There were many opinions about the purpose of changing the name. Many hot debates among members and officers occured.

I have included one of the emails below written by Eric Wong (former Treasurer) to all LAS members for your reference.

After all, the name was changed and "Dragon & Eagle - Leap August Society" was the one appeared on the constitution when we were recongized by SA in that same semester. (However, we are not getting any funding yet.

:(

hi all,

well, sorry to bother you all. It seems like we have a lots of
supports for each different suggestions, however i haven't heard anything
from anyone YET to support my pick "Dragon & Eagle" D&E - LAS and i would
like to explain a bit here about why i chose it over the other
suggestions. hope you all will read on, it will just take you a few
minutes.
Let me try the easy way to explain it, why do we bother to change the
name anyways?
answer:
LAS- the leap august society. my first impression, i have no clue
or whatsoever about what it means and what it stands for. Yet, people
might even got it confused with Learning Asis. Serv. well, how about the
name "Dragon & Eagle" D&E -LAS? NO BETTER! I am totally agree with MR.OLD
FOSSIL's saying that changing the name of LAS isn't the crucial
determining point of how many new members we will recruit or the overall
well-being of the club. But, if you ask me again 'which name i perfer
better', i would still go for "Dragon & Eagle" D&E-LAS. whY?
well, just like many of you said, the name isn't important
to new recruits, since they don't know the meaning of it unless they know
the "elaborated version of the name".
OKie, this might gets a bit confusing but i have to say that us-THE LAS
has tried to preserve+/promote chinese culture AND carry on the cultural
exchanging process between the Chinese and the multicultured US at the U
of R.  If i ask you what can best stand for China? and what can best stand
for America??? I am sure that "Dragon & Eagle" will be the most common
answer.  I didn't make this up by myself, i know some of you might argue
with me, that there are tons of other answers, but isn't "Dragon & Eagle"
the most well-known one??  yes, we are trying to a chose a name for the
club that can best stand for the purposes of having this club. My opinion
is that LAS the Leap August Society -the name itself alone doesn't tell
anything at all about our club or have anything pertaining to the purposes
of the club.
Yes, some might suggest to elaborate on the name so it can be well
understood.
Well, tell the truth, i have read the long version of Leap August
Society, even if you haven't done so, just think of it,  THERE IS NO
WAY ON WORLD THAT YOU CAN MAKE A CONNECTION FROM LEAP AUGUST TO
WHAT THE CLUB REALLY IS!
well, the need for changing the name is very necessary as a matter of
fact, i don't think none of you would want a name for the club that
doesn't even have any practical connections to what the purposes of
fact, i don't think none of you would want a name for the club that
doesn't even have any practical connections to what the purposes of
the club really is. I am not saying there isn't anymore better names than
"Dragon & Eagle" D&E-LAS, but i don't see any better meaningful ones when
it comes to the elaborated version and symbolic-wise of the name of the
club.   AS SO FAR.

well, hope you all agree with me, and THINK! before you vote q=
thank you all.
eric