Yea, the culture basically is Computer Science == Software Engineering. As much as I hate it, most people get degrees nowadays not for research or education, but to land a job. However by using that association I'd say that it helps a bit to pick out the people who make that incorrect association (and are getting a CS degree for work instead of for research) that otherwise wouldn't take it seriously if it just said software engineering. It leaves more room in the universities for people that actually want to learn CS and the people who didn't know the difference between the terms learns what they need to get a job (since I'm sure true computer scientists would understand that the term is butchered). It's a win-win IMO.
I understand what you're saying, but I think that my point is still valid: If you want to offer a degree to become a Software Engineer, it should be a Software Engineering degree program not a Computer Science degree. Someone else mentioned that the direct path to Applied Mathematics takes form of say an Engineering degree. They are two separate degrees/programs yet clearly Engineering is just the fast path to a career in Math in an industry environment. So too should a Software Engineering degree be a fast path to a career in Computer Science in an industry environment.
