The UC Logo fiasco

Well the University of California finally recognized the obvious and cancelled the new logo.   The administration "suspended" the monstrosity but I think I know what that means.  I hesitated in writing about it while the issue was hot because it was a story which just kept expanding.

Here are some thoughts.

#1 - One wag commented that UC was flushing California down the toilet. There were tons of other comments - many with a good deal less respect.   Evidently more than 50,000 people signed a petition against the new logo.   Our Lieutenant Governor agued that rather than rearranging the logo the University should be thinking about how to fund this great university.  I do not alway agree with Newsom - but on this issue - he was spot on.

#2 - The University, if indeed it needed a new more web friendly design, could have exercised its role as a public university that has a couple of superb design programs - have sponsored a statewide competition.  I am not sure whether senior UC officials have ever read James Suroweicki's excellent book on the Wisdom of Crowds but they should have.  It is available in paperback and online.  Well worth the read.

#3 - This pointed out, as if there were need to do it again, that the university, like much of higher education has not spent a lot of time thinking carefully about how UC fits into society.    Any organization that would refer to itself as "the University" needs some deportment classes.