- Signatures: 1,487
- Goal: 1,500
- Deadline: 6-8-2007
See Full Petition
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Update: Despite being informed of widespread opposition, including numerous letters to the editor and to university officials, and despite being given both paper and electronic copies of this petition, the university's Board of Regents has rubber-stamped the new marketing campaign described below.In order to have an impact, people who have signed or intend to sign the petition should also put their views or comments in an email to Marketing & Communications (marcomm@mun.ca).
The Memorial University of Newfoundland has created a new marketing campaign for the university, including a new logo that no longer incorporates the words "of Newfoundland".
Many people are concerned that Newfoundland has been dropped from the university's logo and marketing materials, and will henceforth be known as simply "Memorial University", although the legal name of the university has not been changed.
Effective immediately, the current logo, with the university's full name and coat of arms, will be used only for ceremonial occasions (e.g. Convocation) and official documents (e.g., degrees). The new logo will be used on all promotional materials, memorabilia, signs, vehicles and the web site.There are many reasons for concern:
* A 2002 attempt to change the name of Memorial University of Newfoundland to simply "Memorial University" was met with widespread protests, including a petition of over 7000 signatures which was brought to the Legislature
* The university was named for the soldiers who fought for the Dominion of Newfoundland in WWI and WWII
* The removal of the university's location from the logo may create confusion given the existence of several other Memorial Universities
* People who see a logo that says simply "Memorial University" will not know where the university is. Our location is often a feature that interests people in the university
To see an example of the 'generic university X' marketing that the new campaign will have, click the link below to view the Research Report, MUN's first publication with the new branding. Although the article mentions funding from the Government of NL, all references to the university are simply "Memorial University".
(June 13 update: The Research Report has been changed so that the official name of the university is now used in the text and copyright notice. The "Memorial University" logo is still used)
http://www.mun.ca/research/2006report/
The 2006-2007 university calendar can be seen here:
http://www.mun.ca/regoff/calendar/
The representation and name of the university has been a controversial issue for some time, and it seems that more people will be upset by the removal of Newfoundland from the logo, than those who will be upset by its continued inclusion. The university should indeed market itself competitively and globally, but one wonders why a logo with the official name, "Memorial University of Newfoundland" or the abbreviation "MUN" cannot fit into this marketing plan.
We encourage you to express your views on whether there is any need to change the public face of the University by replacing the traditional logo.
Please sign the petition below if you would like the university to bring the marketing campaign back to the table, and engage in widespread consultation about the inclusion of Newfoundland in the university's new logo and marketing campaign.
Click here for more information on the new marketing campaign and the new slogan, "Become."
| Number | Date | Name | City | Comments: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,489 | 8:48 am PDT, Jul 29 | Kyrrian Munn | Taking Newfoundland out will make MUN into the most idiotic sounding place ever... MU... what's next? Sea Hawks changed to the Cow Flocks? | |
| 1,488 | 8:28 am PDT, Apr 5 | Anne Seidel | Nuremberg | |
| 1,487 | 1:43 am PST, Dec 20 | Simos Tarabatzis | Kavala | |
| 1,486 | 6:17 am PDT, Jul 13 | Brenda Penton | Kippens | |
| 1,485 | 9:30 pm PDT, Jul 5 | Dennis Ramdass | Cambridge | I wanted my friend Trissy to get me a sweatshirt but this logo looks like crap so I want a cooler Memorial sweatshirt with an aesthetically pleasing logo |
| 1,484 | 9:29 pm PDT, Jul 5 | Trisandhi Gosine | San Fernando | |
| 1,483 | 8:13 am PDT, Jul 4 | Desmond Pink | Halifax, NS | As an academic and alumni of MUN, I advertise the university during seminars various functions and venues across the country. I always use the logo that includes both the coat of arms and the full name of the university. As a unique and distinctive university, I do not understand the idea to homogenize the logo as a cheap marketing tool. The various logos helped provide tradition and honour that merged well with the ongoing memorial to those that gave their lives in the wars of yesterday and today. |
| 1,482 | 9:44 pm PDT, Jun 18 | William Harper | Athens | |
| 1,481 | 2:30 pm PDT, May 31 | Sean Byrd | Saint James | |
| 1,480 | 10:55 pm PDT, May 28 | Morley Crocker | Wassis, New Brunswick | As a proud Newfoundlander serving with the Military Task Force in Afghanistan along with my comrades from the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, Its just unbelievable that any person with roots from NL would even consider the idea of changing the name of one of the fines universities in Canada. You might want to ask the good people of NL before you make a decision that could impact the outcome of this fine educational institution. |
| 1,479 | 3:22 pm PDT, May 28 | Brian Brake | Oromocto NB | What's next I wonder? I'm a proud Newfoundlander and would love to return to my place I call HOME. Memorial University of Newfoundland should stay just as it is. Why change just for the sake of change? It is well known just as it is and should remain that way. |
| 1,478 | 7:36 am PDT, May 28 | Susan Billard | kingston | Why mess with a good thing? |
| 1,477 | 5:50 am PDT, May 28 | Brenda R. Hulan | Kingston | I have lived away from Newfoundland for more then 20 years, many friends from the mainland have approached me about Newfoundland because they were considering MUN for their children's education, most choose MUN and refered to the university as MUN. During a conversation amongst neighbors, a parent refered to Memorial University, someone asked "Where's that"? Another said Newfoundland. The person who had asked the question said "oh, you mean MUN" |
| 1,476 | 8:26 am PDT, Apr 30 | Michael Collins | London | MUN has spent a lot of money to alienate and anger a lot of people, and for what? Will this horrible logo and the dropping of the words "of Newfoundland" somehow increase the University's national and international visibility? They're deluded if they think so. |
| 1,475 | 6:50 am PDT, Apr 30 | Desiree Ouellette | Halifax | |
| 1,474 | 10:04 am PDT, Mar 23 | Carol Lee | Goulds | I think the new logo is very unappealing. Is it supposed to represent something? If so, what? So I suppose that we can't refer to it as MUN anymore. |
| 1,473 | 9:23 pm PDT, Mar 11 | Tim Oram | Glovertown | Keep Newfoundland in the logo, we take pride in our University and having Newfoundland in the logo is a must. |
| 1,472 | 7:28 pm PST, Feb 11 | Blaine Edwards | ||
| 1,471 | 11:38 pm PST, Jan 28 | Michael Owens | The new logo is disgusting. Another example of the university wasting our money on useless issues and focusing on things such as the attrocious state of housing. A two year old could have made that logo. The univeristy is "Memeorial University of Newfoundland" if you are not going to put the whole name in then do not put it there in the first place | |
| 1,470 | 2:45 pm PST, Jan 20 | Anonymous | Brantford | First and formost ,I hate the new design ,i think it look's awful.Secondly,why in the name of God would anyone want to take the "Newfounland" out of the schools Identity. |
| 1,469 | 4:46 pm PST, Dec 1 | Jamie Wiseman | It seems that those who are so willing to change the logo and name are too willing to forget the roots of Memorial University of Newfoundland. If this change does procede, they will never see one red cent from me, ever. Not stopping at that, I will recommend that people should attend another educational institution. Maybe an institution which respects its history. | |
| 1,468 | 5:41 am PST, Nov 29 | Scott Parsons | Goulds | I would understand removing NF from the name if MUN was also located in other provinces. I think they removed the part of MUN that makes it what it is. Typical mainland thinking, association with NF gives it negative representation. They move everything here to Halifax, so why don't we change the name to MUH. Branding is a fad that has been created by the marketing companies to make work for themselves. When/Why would a marketing company ever tell any organization that they need to keep their current look? They wouldn't. It's always to be hip cool and current. So this means that they have created a "Brand" which will need to be updated far too frequently. The logo and phrase is ok, but not here to stay. |
| 1,467 | 5:54 am PST, Nov 22 | randy LeDrew | ||
| 1,466 | 11:48 am PST, Nov 16 | Chris Jackman | ||
| 1,465 | 6:38 am PST, Nov 13 | Denise Waterman | I hate the new logo. I recently moved to Alberta after 6 years at MUN. I had planned on buying a new back pack, sweater and sweat pants at MUN before I left, but I didn't because the logo is nasty looking. A two year old could have created something better. To me it looks like a piece of sod!!! And Newfoundland should def. be a part of the name. Leaving it out kind of makes it look like we are ashamed of our province. | |
| 1,464 | 1:17 pm PST, Nov 11 | Heather Osmond | ||
| 1,463 | 11:28 am PST, Nov 8 | Amanda Hatch | ||
| 1,462 | 8:45 am PDT, Oct 28 | Jonathan penton | ||
| 1,461 | 8:12 am PDT, Oct 24 | Chris Gale | I hope the university never spent one million dollars like the provincial government to come up with this. | |
| 1,460 | 3:29 am PDT, Oct 24 | G. Vaughan Paul | St. John's | This logo displays a total lack of creativity for our University. It does not have any distinction and I feel it is an embarrassment to those that have attended and are currently attending. |
| 1,459 | 4:57 pm PDT, Oct 23 | Darren Walsh | St. John's | The fault I can give to the marketing types at MUN is that they have not given a similar avenue to support this new approach as this petition site gives to dismiss it. I have looked. So I guess I will have to sign as if I am against, when in fact, I am in favour, even though I'm kind of still iffy on the logo. Someone spoke to our class recently about the brand. I learned a lot. (1) The name of the university has not changed. I thought it had, but it's there in black and white. Memorial University of Newfoundland. People who think it's going to be called MU are just being foolish. (2) The crest is still an important part of the university - just not for marketing. (3) We have a population that's declining rapidly - we are trying to stand for something strong and confident in a really competitive market. (4) The marketing materials are outstanding - this rebranding (as he called it) is about way more than a logo. You look at the book they show to upcoming students, and it amazed me. It was all about our place in the world, and I was so proud to be from here. (5) Maybe he's just a slick salesman, but it was eye-opening, well thought out, and it makes so much sense. The whole class understood it. (6) I have gone from being on the fence to being a huge supporter. This is our university - we need to get behind it and stop whining because something doesn't go our way. |
| 1,458 | 10:23 am PDT, Oct 23 | Danielle Andrews | St. Johns | |
| 1,457 | 10:07 am PDT, Oct 23 | Debbie Andrews | Clarke's Beach | Simplicity seems to be the main reason for this new logo change at MUN. Well the marketers definitely got that correct, but it certainly is not as attractive or meaningful as the original one. My first view of this new logo suggested a piece of torn paper referencing a university that was apart and completely separated from the main idea. Yes, I guess when you think of Newfoundland and how we usually do seem "apart" from the rest of this country on many occasions, it does relate that idea, but that's not the meaning we want to express to the rest of the world. We want our old logo back with Newfoundland embedded there. We can incorporate our new provincial name within the old logo to enable Labrador to feel a part of the university, but how can we just erase the Coat of Arms that shows of strength, symbolism of all we stand for and our patriotism and pride in our province. We want the rest of the world to know exactly where this university is and how we can envelope the other countries into our little corner of the world. Continue to show our stength, determination and pride in our province by reinstating the original logo and please do not go ahead with this new logo which portrays weakness, simplicity and unimportance. |
| 1,455 | 4:01 pm PDT, Oct 16 | David Gillard | ||
| 1,454 | 3:30 pm PDT, Oct 13 | Kathleen Brophy | ||
| 1,453 | 5:54 pm PDT, Oct 12 | Derek Riche | The new logo lacks 'identity'. I'm a graduate of MUN not MU! | |
| 1,452 | 3:00 pm PDT, Oct 10 | Anonymous | Blind River | |
| 1,451 | 8:48 pm PDT, Oct 5 | Doug Mercer | I would like something more identifiable and with more traditional elements. |
Keep "Newfoundland" in MUN's logo
To the Memorial University of Newfoundland Marketing and Communications division;
We, the undersigned, are concerned that the new marketing campaign for the university, includes a logo that no longer incorporates the words "of Newfoundland".
We are concerned for many reasons, including those listed below:
* A 2002 attempt to change the name of Memorial University of Newfoundland to simply "Memorial University" was met with widespread protests, including a petition of over 7000 signatures which was brought to the Legislature
* The university was named for the soldiers who fought for the Dominion of Newfoundland in WWI and WWII
* The removal of the university's location from the logo may create confusion given the existence of several other Memorial Universities
* People who see a logo that says simply "Memorial University" will not know where the university is. This concerns us because our location is often a feature that interests people in the university.
The representation and name of the university has been a controversial issue for some time, and it seems that more people will be upset by the removal of Newfoundland from the logo, than those who will be upset by its continued inclusion.
While we appreciate that the university needs to market itself competitively and globally, we see no reason why a logo with the official name, "Memorial University of Newfoundland" or the abbreviation "MUN" cannot fit into this marketing plan. We would like the university to bring the marketing campaign back to the table, and engage in widespread consultation about the inclusion of Newfoundland in the university's new logo and marketing campaign.
Sincerely,
Concerned alumni, students, and citizens
We, the undersigned, are concerned that the new marketing campaign for the university, includes a logo that no longer incorporates the words "of Newfoundland".
We are concerned for many reasons, including those listed below:
* A 2002 attempt to change the name of Memorial University of Newfoundland to simply "Memorial University" was met with widespread protests, including a petition of over 7000 signatures which was brought to the Legislature
* The university was named for the soldiers who fought for the Dominion of Newfoundland in WWI and WWII
* The removal of the university's location from the logo may create confusion given the existence of several other Memorial Universities
* People who see a logo that says simply "Memorial University" will not know where the university is. This concerns us because our location is often a feature that interests people in the university.
The representation and name of the university has been a controversial issue for some time, and it seems that more people will be upset by the removal of Newfoundland from the logo, than those who will be upset by its continued inclusion.
While we appreciate that the university needs to market itself competitively and globally, we see no reason why a logo with the official name, "Memorial University of Newfoundland" or the abbreviation "MUN" cannot fit into this marketing plan. We would like the university to bring the marketing campaign back to the table, and engage in widespread consultation about the inclusion of Newfoundland in the university's new logo and marketing campaign.
Sincerely,
Concerned alumni, students, and citizens
Note: This Keep "Newfoundland" in MUN's logo petition was submitted by Alumni, students, faculty staff and NL citizens. ThePetitionSite.com is a free service provided to help concerned citizens rally support for issues they believe in. The opinions expressed by this petition do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ThePetitionSite.com or Care2.com. There is no express or implied endorsement of this petition nor any newsletter offers (except those from Care2.com) by Care2.com, Inc, ThePetitionSite.com, or our sponsors. If you believe this system is being abused, please contact customer support.
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