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.