Baltimore firm out in UH logo search

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

The University of Hawai'i Board of Regents yesterday terminated a controversial $82,000 contract with the Baltimore firm that designed two UH logos that flopped with the public.

Dr. Patricia Lee, new chairwoman of the UH Board of Regents, receives a maile lei and congratulations from David Miller, an English professor at UH-Hilo. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Patricia Lee, new Board of Regents chairwoman, said a committee that will include professional graphic designers will lead the process to select a new logo. Lee said individuals or design firms can submit ideas and examples of their work, and the committee will select the top three for further consideration.

Those three finalists will receive $5,000 each to create a UH logo design. The winning design team will receive an additional $5,000 to refine the design.

Regents and administrators had to go back to the drawing board in April when Rytter's proposed logos — the Wave and the Spectrum — drew heavy public scrutiny and criticism. A 29-member review committee had selected the logos after a nine-month process.

The university has paid Rytter $73,637.50 of the $82,000 contract.

"I think the public was outraged at the money that was spent," Lee said. "That was an unusual contract."

Paul Costello, UH vice president for External Affairs, said in the future no public money will be used to pay for the design of the new logo. Money will come from the sale of logo merchandise instead.

Momi Cazimero, owner and president of Graphic House and a former UH regent, said she and other local designers had problems with the Rytter contract, which included money for both the design of the logo and its implementation — two processes that are normally separated. The new, more open process and the lower cost should make the university community and the design community happier, she said.

"I want to put this behind us," Cazimero said. "I want our community to start healing."

School officials say a systemwide logo would be an advertising tool essentially for use on brochures to unify the system, and to create an image to attract students from Asia, the Pacific and the Mainland.

Officials say that UH has no coherent image partly because it has more than 150 logos in use systemwide and because some programs such as the Institute for Astronomy, the Waikiki Aquarium and the School of Ocean, Earth, Science and Technology are not readily identifiable as part of the UH system.

The new logo eventually will go on brochures, application forms and stationery as supplies dwindle, on the Web site, and eventually on the sides of vehicles.

The Warrior "H" will remain in use for athletic teams, and the UH seal, featuring an open book and torch, will continue to be used on diplomas.

The contracted firm's logos were rejected only a week after they were shared with the public. 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.

In other business, regents also approved a controversial plan to purchase land and develop an astronomy research center on Maui for the Institute for Astronomy.

One regent has resigned over the issue, and the $8.6 million proposal has faced tough questioning and a warning from a newly appointed regent that future proposals could get equally contentious.

Michael Maberry, assistant director for the Institute for Astronomy, this week told regents that the agency is operating out of an 80-year-old, two-story farm house on Maui, and that a new facility is needed for the institute to maintain its competitive edge in attracting research grants.

The new location is owned by Everett Dowling, a Maui developer and former board member.

Dowling resigned from the board earlier this month during a conflict-of-interest dispute with two other regents.

Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.