General Assembly


Minutes of the Fifty-third (Extraordinary) Meeting of the GeneralAssembly held on Tuesday 17 October 1995

The Vice-Chancellor was in the Chair and thirty one members signed theattendance roll. Five apologies for absence were received.

95/7 Corporate Identity Strategy

In accordance with Statute XV, the Vice-Chancellor had called a meetingof General Assembly to receive a presentation of the University's corporateidentity strategy and to comment thereon. A background document on this item was available to members.

In introducing this item the Vice-Chancellor summarised the process carriedout and the roles of HEIST and Lloyd Northover Citigate in reviewing theUniversity's corporate identity. It was found that the current arrangementswere not helpful in promoting the University and that the two principal issuesto be resolved were the University's name and its visual identity system.

The Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, as Chair of the Corporate Identity SteeringGroup, introduced to General Assembly Mr Jim Bodoh of Lloyd Northover Citigate,the firm appointed to carry out internal research at the University and toundertake design and implementation of the resulting corporate image proposals.Mr Bodoh gave a presentation on the findings of the review and proposed toGeneral Assembly the recommendations of the Corporate Identity Steering Groupthat the University's name should be Loughborough University and that it shouldadopt a new corporate visual identity.

General Assembly noted that a change of name would require a resolution of theUniversity Council to petition Privy Council. It was proposed that the fullversion of the University crest would be retained for ceremonial and formaloccasions and purposes, such as degree certificates and degree congregationprogrammes. The importance of the technological disciplines of the Universitywould be reinforced by the optional use of an appropriate strapline by therelevant faculties. The use of straplines, and also the question of corporateidentity for separate institutes and subsidiary companies, was to be thesubject of further study. General Assembly received two proposals by LloydNorthover Citigate for a new logo, wordmark and corporate colours and wasinvited to offer comment and ask questions.

A member recommended that advice be taken from the RNIB on proposals for a newcolour scheme, particularly on the campus signage system, given that certaincolour combinations were not helpful for partially sighted people. There wasconsiderable discussion about whether it would be wise to discontinue using theUniversity's crest. Members were anxious not to create the impression thatLoughborough University was a new institution. It was explained that the crestas currently used was not effective in the University's corporate image. Theexperiences of other institutions, including the Universities of Southamptonand Hull were discussed. Several members nonetheless expressed a wish toretain the crest. Other members indicated support for the two suggested logodesigns, although some reservations were expressed about the 'square' version.It was noted that the University's Publicity Officer would undertake a surveyof 1st year student opinion of the two designs. A member suggested that theUniversity should aim to present itself as "clean, green and safe", in additionto the other descriptives as presented in Mr Bodoh's report.

The Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor reported that, once the decision was made toproceed with a new corporate identity, a date would be fixed for immediatechange-over. This would probably be in early 1996. The Steering Groupacknowledged that there would be additional costs incurred throughout theUniversity in achieving this initial transition and it was therefore hoped thata certain amount of financial support could be made available. TheVice-Chancellor thanked General Assembly for its helpful comments and informedmembers that the corporate image proposals would be discussed by Senate laterthat day, and by Council on 20 October 1995.

95/8 Date of next meeting

To be arranged.


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May 1996