Regents try again for official UH logo

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

Nearly a year after a proposed new logo was scrapped amid largely negative reaction to two finalists, the University of Hawai'i plans to try again.

The Board of Regents yesterday approved a plan that calls for giving authority to a 15-member evaluation and advisory committee of faculty, staff, students and community members to make the final choice of a designer and a design. The winning designer will be paid $10,000 to produce a finished logo, which the board must approve.

"We don't want to get overly involved," said regent Kitty Lagareta, who likened the debate over the logo — and the lengthy delays and planning — to having "gum on your shoe." Lagareta headed a task force that worked for 10 months to develop this new process.

Under the new guidelines, designers or firms can throw their hats into the ring during April. Then, during May, three finalists will be selected by the committee, which will announce the results June 1. All three will receive $5,000.

By July 9 the three firms will be expected to produce up to two logos each. Over the summer, the committee will make its final selection, A single logo will be presented to the board for approval in September.

That new, unifying logo will "brand" the 10-campus system and serve as its marketing image around the world, to be used on everything from campus signs to official stationery to T-shirts.

It won't replace the athletic logos for the Manoa and Hilo teams or the UH seal, which will continue to be used on diplomas. But it will tie the island campuses and innumerable programs together under one clearly identifiable brand.