Santa Clara University recently changed their logo from the University Seal created at the University's founding with a new logo that fails to capture the spirit of the school. This new visual identity, intended to commemorate the institution's upcoming 175th anniversary and usher in a new era of branding, falls short of capturing the essence of our university. We believe that the new logo lacks the gravitas and visual appeal befitting an institution of Santa Clara's stature and rich history.

We believe the logo fails for the following reasons:

• The addition of sunrise yellow behind the Mission Church, while intended to symbolize warmth, clashes with the university's traditional color palette
•  the justification provided for the logo redesign, primarily addressing brand inconsistencies is insufficient to warrant such a drastic departure from the previous, well-established logo. The new logo, far from unifying the university's visual identity, risks exacerbating the very issue it aims to solve by introducing a jarring and aesthetically unpleasing element
• The new logo, with its generic collegiate shield and simplistic depiction of the Mission Church, lacks a distinctive visual appeal that sets it apart from countless other university logos. The Administration acknowledges the need for a strong visual identity in the competitive higher education landscape, yet the new logo fails to create a memorable and impactful impression
• One of the key concepts that make other universities branding so powerful is that they do not change. The Harvard Logo is so recognizable because it connects the school with its history. Santa Clara, being the first continuously operating institute of higher learning deserves a logo that honors this idea

In short:

1. Color: The sunrise yellow behind the Mission Church disrupts the university's traditional color palette, clashing rather than harmonizing.

2. Weak Justification: The logo redesign, aimed at fixing brand inconsistencies, instead strays too far from the established, cohesive logo, potentially worsening the brand unity issue.

3. Lack of Distinction: The new logo’s generic design lacks uniqueness, failing to create a memorable visual identity in a competitive landscape.

4. Value of Tradition: Like Harvard, Santa Clara’s logo should honor its historic identity, emphasizing stability and legacy in branding.

We believe that the university administration should prioritize the opinions and sentiments of its student body, who are ultimately the heart and soul of the Santa Clara community. We urge the university to reconsider the new logo and engage in a transparent and collaborative process with students to develop a visual identity that truly reflects the values, history, and aspirations of Santa Clara University.