Posted at 12:43 p.m., Friday, July 11, 2003
UH dumps logo-design deal with Baltimore firm
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Staff Writer
The firm owned by Robert Rytter of Baltimore designed the logos, and the university has paid him at least $74,000 of the $82,000 contract. A 29-member review committee had selected the logos after a nine-month process.
New Board of Regents chairwoman Patricia Lee said this morning the contract with Rytter will be terminated and a committee that will include professional graphic designers will lead an open process to select a new logo. Lee said anybody will be able to submit ideas, and the committee will select the top three for further consideration.
The logo is intended to be a uniform "brand" that would link the 10 campuses in the UH system and be used to attract students to the school.
The contracted firm's logos were rejected only a week after they were shared with the public, and UH president Evan Dobelle directed the committee that chose the symbols to find something the community could support. After the designs were unveiled, more than 1,300 e-mails poured in to the university, with 60 percent of the opinions running against the two logos that were finalists.
