AMHERST — Since World War II, the imagery on the official seal used for the University of Massachusetts flagship campus is nearly identical to what appears on the state flag, with a Native American standing against a shield and below an arm wielding a Colonial-style sword.
With UMass officials looking at gaps in the visual identity for the flagship campus, and creating a stronger connection to the region, a change is being pursued to the seal.
“A seal of a university is a visual expression of its essence and values,” says UMass spokesman Ed Blaguzewski. “We’re excited about doing this.”
The office of University Relations this week is beginning to solicit ideas for making adjustments to both the seal and the university’s brand mark.
In-person feedback is being collected from students, faculty, staff and alumni at sessions Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon, and Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m., both in the multipurpose room at the Old Chapel.
Blaguszewski said several preliminary concepts will be shared by a graphic design team, based on what has come from focus groups and other suggestions over the past six months.
UMass is trying to fill gaps in its visual identity, Blaguszewski said, noting that 42 state flagship universities have institutional seals that are not the state seal.
“The seal is an expression of the ethos of the campus. It’s a reflection of our campus,” Blaguszewski said.
The seal that mimics the state flag was once regularly used on official materials, like diplomas and trustees documents, but has mostly been phased out since 2011.
“We’ve not really been using the seal as a visual branding for many years,” Blaguszewski said.
Instead, UMass mostly uses either the UMass Amherst wordmark, in which the two words are connected, with UMass written in black letters and Amherst written in maroon letters, or the Power U, developed in 1998, showing a script U over a block M, and which is mostly associated with athletics.
According to information supplied by the university, in 2003 the campus reemphasized use of the seal that was based on a 1940s design by John Robertson, a professor of landscape architecture, and which was refined in the 1970s. Use of the seal came with its reappearance on stationery, mugs, banners and other items.
While the decision to alter the UMass seal is not directly connected to the state establishing a panel to revise the state flag and its Latin motto, which translated means, “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty,” Blaguszewski said there has long been awareness of concerns people raise around that imagery.
The official logo for UMass and the campus seal are similar, though the seal is encircled with the word “Amherst” and the date “1863.”
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
