A redesigned university seal and a renamed MSC Flag Room — just another day for a Texas A&M leadership that has shown a consistent willingness to change parts of this university with little notice or student input.
So while it’s easy to focus criticism on the cosmetic changes the regents’ decision will cause — particularly the seal — the problem runs deeper.
The Board of Regents and Chancellor John Sharp have too often put forward these sorts of decisions, the kind that come quietly and with no obvious prior input. The decisions Wednesday fall in line with the failed attempt to rename the Academic Building after former Gov. Rick Perry and the decision to house incoming A&M president Michael Young off campus.
The beveled “Block T” certainly looks a bit cartoonish in the seal. It seems better reserved for T-shirts. But The Battalion is not particularly invested in the debate over the beveled logo, which will now adorn the center of the university seal. We suspect, in the long run, the average fan — even the average student — would not know the difference. But some people put stock in things like this, and the regents seem not to care.
The new seal is, at best, a lateral move. The university’s brand recognition will not see a marked improvement just because the seal matches its websites. So why tinker with it?
The regents would likely prefer not to see their names bashed on social media, which is why their approach makes no sense. If they want to appear like they are in touch with the Aggie community, like they have the university’s best interest in mind, then the solution is simple. All they have to do is ask.
All they have to do is float the new seal on social media and ask for feedback. All they have to do is hold a focus group for Aggies of all ages to see how they feel about the Gov. Rick Perry Academic Building — a plan they squashed after public outcry. All they have to do is see how students feel about an off-campus A&M president. Many students are plugged in to this campus and have opinions to share. What’s the harm in hearing them out?
One imagines the regents might be surprised to see their new seal mocked on the Internet. They seem to think the move was a good one. But somehow the online eruption after the Perry ordeal was not enough to show them there is a better way.
Most students will get over the seal. Some of us might grow to like it. But we would like to have a say. And judging by the 3,700-plus Aggies who have signed an online petition against the change, we have a hunch they would not like our opinion.
