University logo change drains budgets

David Bouhl is worried that Dawgtel might not present itself in the best light after having to replace the current logo with the new, campus-wide mandated logo.

Dawgtel is a product developing in the Telecommunications Department that would allow professors and administrators to communicate directly with students via text messages. Bouhl, the deputy director of Telecommunications, said the Dawgtel logo as its trademark is good business practice.

Changing the logo on the Web site might also come with a pretty hefty price tag, Bouhl said, and he is worried that if the costs are too high, Dawgtel may never unveil its service.

"We're a little concerned about that," said Bouhl, who hopes to discuss the possibility of keeping the logo with administrators. "We'll see what comes out of it. I'd like to have further discussions about it before it's just totally wiped away."

Several departments around campus are being hit hard with the costs of adopting the new logo, which displays the Pulliam clock tower. University spokeswoman Sue Davis said Dawgtel, like most other departments and entities on campus, will have to change its logo to conform with the new policy.

Chancellor Walter Wendler announced the change in his State of the University Address March 23.

"Before we can successfully move forward, our identity must ring with clarity," Wendler said. "We have more than 120 logos for everything from colleges to programs. These logos fragment our identity."

While most areas on campus are expected to adopt the new logo, there are a few exceptions, such as the School of Medicine, the School of Law and the Intercollegiate Athletics logos.

The campus must also change its stationary, business cards, envelopes and department Web sites to include the new logo, and are also expected to totally rid the campus of the old logos by the end of a two-year transitional period. The deadline for the printed materials to be changed is July 31.

The departments will not be compensated for the stationary but can receive a discount from the University's Printing and Duplicating Office if purchased before deadline. The new logo requires printing in two-toned ink, which will cost more money.

Sue Davis said the costs decrease as the orders become larger. But the new business envelopes and letterheads in the two-tone ink have a price gap of more than $100. The old letterheads cost $281 for 5,000 while the new ones cost $441 without the early buying discount.

With the 10 percent discount, which is what buyers receive until July 31, the letterheads cost almost $400. New envelopes can cost $440 for 4,000 without the discount as opposed 1,000 more envelopes for the $282 it cost before.

One of the areas that is most affected by the change is the Student Center, which has had three of the old logos permanently designed into the floor for about five years. Two of these are in the carpet on the second floor, and one of them is in the tile on the main floor.

"We know eventually we will have to change them," said Susan Coriasco, the assistant director of the Student Center. "I know it's coming."

Coriasco said the administration has not asked them to change the logos yet, but she said she is unsure if the new logos would be put back in after removing them. Davis said the logos will eventually be removed. She said the departments will have to pick up the costs.

University Housing has also been greatly affected. Crystal Bouhl, coordinator of marketing and publication, said a student in a logo-design contest designed the current tree symbol, which has been used since 1994.

The University Housing logo is displayed on banners attached to the light poles in the housing areas and is etched in stone at several different areas around campus residence halls. It can also be found on University Housing literature and staff clothing. Davis said the University Housing logos etched in stone will probably not be removed because of the logo but will eventually be replaced after time.

"It's going to be expensive," Crystal Bouhl said, "but it's hard to determine a cost at this time because we are not sure what we are going to replace with the different logo and what we are going to remove."

Another one of the exceptions is the Registered Student Organizations. The Web sites must be redesigned to feature the new logo, but as far as an RSO's identity is concerned, Katherine Sermershiem, director of Student Development, said they are allowed to keep their individual identities.

"At this point, I can't really see a whole lot of challenges that it will present to RSOs," Sermersheim said. She said she did not see it as a problem because RSOs already have to receive approval from the student development's administration before using a new or old logo.

Joe Robinson, president of the Residence Hall Association, an organization that so far does not have to change its logo, said that while the idea of unity is appealing, it puts some of the departments in an unfortunate situation. "I think the individual departments lose a lot of identity," Robinson said.