For centuries university degrees have followed a traditional look which inspires respect and gives the graduate a sense of pride in their accomplishment, and in their new status. People have a clear image of what a degree looks like which makes degrees hard to re-design in a successful way. When new designs stray too far from the original style which carries the weight of years of earned respect, in comparison they look unprofessional and illegitimate. In fields such as art & design graduates already face the uphill battle of teaching potential employers, family members and sponsors about the value of their practice. Their degree should inspire trust and respect, because they are the graduates that need it most.

Further, ECUAD is a design university and many of these graduates are skilled visual communicators who deserve a degree that is representative of their own knowledge. The current design of the degrees for the Class of 2020 does not communicate the level of legitimacy that a bachelors degree should, as it goes against tradition when in this case traditional is what carries meaning and weight.

We sincerely request that a more considered design decision be given to our degree certificate.