[erlang-questions] Off-topic question about Universities

[Richard A. O'Keefe]

The thing is, we *have* a logo.
http://www.otago.ac.nz/administration/service_divisions/external-engagement/otago017269.html
More precisely, we have a portrait version, and a landscape version, each with
colour (preferred) and black-and-white (allowed) variants.

The logo contains the University crest, granted by the Lyon King of Arms in 1948.
That's not about to change.  The rest of the logo is words, the name of the
University in English and Māori (without which the crest would be unintelligible).
The name of the University isn't about to change.  So there's not much they *can*
change.

> On 6/07/2017, at 7:40 AM, <lloyd@REDACTED> <lloyd@REDACTED> wrote:
>  
> Over time and the cumulative interactions and experiences many people have with your institution, your logo takes on significantly weighted symbolic value. It becomes invaluable in and of itself. Harvard University aggressively enforces proprietary rights to it's logo.

Yes, but surely that is an argument for *not* changing the logo?

I have been a student at two Universities and given lectures at four.
Until yesterday, I couldn't have told you what any of their logos looked like.
I see the logo on a van, let's say, and my brain goes "blob, University, stuff,
probably a University vehicle then."

> You might as your administrator just exactly what problem he's attempting to solve and what else he is doing to solve it?

She.  Downsizing Humanities, including some staff with seriously good international
reputations.  The latest fear is that 300 general staff may lose their jobs.
If I'm reading the 2016 annual report correctly, the University had a surplus
of NZD 21.377 million last year, up from NZD 16.143 million the year before.

A professor of accounting, who co-authored a book with my father, told me
about 40 years ago, "Richard, never go into business.  You just don't
think the right way for it."  Clearly he was right.