Univ. updates its new branding guidelines

The University released updates to the Homewood Student Affairs (HSA) branding guidelines, on Friday, March 31.  Many undergraduate student groups had expressed frustration with the original guidelines, which limited their use of the Hopkins name and iconography.

The revised branding guidelines clarify areas of confusion, but the policies remain largely unchanged. Groups may still only use iterations of the Hopkins name to specify location unless they also specify that they are a student organization.

However, the updated guidelines state that organizations may use the word “club” instead of “student group” to indicate they are student run. Groups may also keep their acronyms so long as they have an official name that complies with the guidelines.

In addition to the updated branding guidelines, the University also sent out a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to respond to common concerns raised by students. Senior President of the Johns Hopkins Outdoor Club (JHOC) Nicole Israel-Meyer appreciated the University’s willingness to respond to complaints.

“The new policies are much clearer, and the frequently asked questions sheet helped address a lot of the concerns that we originally had,” she wrote in an email to The News-Letter. “We are happy to hear that since JHOC has club in the name, no further action has to be taken.”

Many students were upset by the language in the original document, specifically its emphasis on “Respecting the Johns Hopkins brand.” Some felt that the University was implying that students disrespected or misrepresented the Hopkins name. In the updated guidelines, that phrase has been changed to “Strengthening the Johns Hopkins brand.”

Rebecca Black, co-president of the JHU Modern Dance Company, was not impressed with the amended language.

“I don’t think asking student groups to change their names is strengthening the Hopkins brand,” she said.

Sophomore Class Senator AJ Tsang commended the University for adjusting the guidelines but criticized its failure to communicate effectively and openly with students when first implementing the branding policy.

“Student group feedback should be included in any changes made to school policy,” he wrote in an email to The News-Letter. “Students are the center of the University, and to ignore their input is to reject the very foundations on which we’ve built Johns Hopkins.”