Kathy A. Bolten
The Des Moines Register
Iowa State lost its fight to stop a student group from using an ISU logo that included cannabis leaves.
Now university officials have a new trademark policy that limits student groups' use of trademarked names.
The Student Government wants the administration to halt implementation of the policy.
A year ago, Iowa State University's student chess club was easily tied to the university through its name. Now, it's the Ames Collegiate Chess Club.
The student aviation group had been the Flying Cyclones. Now, they're the Ames Flyers. And the student space club, which had had "Iowa State" in its name, is Ames Space Teaching and Recognition Association.
Why the changes? University administrators over the summer tightened Iowa State's trademark policy by limiting most student organizations' access to trademarked references to the institution.
The policy so riled student government members that they unanimously approved a resolution this week requesting the administration, at least temporarily, backpedal from the guidelines that were posted Aug. 1 on ISU's Trademark Licensing Office website.
The policy changes have roots in a decision by university administrators six years ago to block a pro-marijuana student group from using an ISU logo on T-shirts that featured cannabis leaves.
The action was challenged in court, and in early 2016, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that administrators violated students' free speech rights and barred the university from prohibiting the T-shirt from being printed.
Overall, ISU's efforts to fight the lawsuit cost Iowa taxpayers more than $350,000. In a statement released in January, ISU officials said they would "incorporate what we have learned from this case into our future trademark use regulations and guidelines."
Nearly seven months later, the new trademark guidelines for student groups were posted on a university website.
"The administration went about this poorly," Michael Tupper, an ISU student government member, said at this week's meeting. "They implemented the change in the middle of the summer, when there were no students on campus."
In addition, Tupper said during the meeting, "We've been told multiple times that the change was not in direct result to the lawsuit. … That is not true."
The resolution calls for university officials to:
Halt use of the new policy for the remainder of the current semester. The suspension of the policy would allow students and administrators to work together to rework the policy.
Allow student organizations at ISU since early 2013 to operate under the previous policy, which includes fewer restrictions on the use of trademarked names and logos.
Increase the number of students on the Trademark Advisory Committee.
John McCarroll, a spokesman for ISU, wrote in an email that university officials are reviewing the resolution.
"We plan to meet with Student Government leadership to discuss their request," McCarroll wrote. "We have been working with student organizations on the transition to the new trademark policy, and we will continue to do so."
McCarroll was asked via email whether the lawsuit prompted the policy changes. He wrote that the changes "align with best practices"; ensure consistent use of the trademarks by all organizations; better identify organizations' relationship to the university; and make the review process less subjective.
He wrote that Leesha Zimmerman, director of the trademark office, has invited three members of student government to attend the advisory committee meetings.
The new guidelines divide student groups into three tiers, each with a different level of access to Iowa State's trademarked names and logos.
Most student groups are in the most restrictive tier and have limited use of ISU's trademarked names and logos. Those groups must add a phrase such as "at Iowa State University" after their names.
Instead of jumping through all the new hoops, at least 10 student groups opted to drop references to Iowa State altogether.
"What message does that send?" asked Cody Woodruff, speaker of the Senate during a Student Government meeting this week, "that we don't have enough pride in our own university to name our student groups after it? The Ames Collegiate Chess Club? That's ridiculous."
Said Adam Jenke, an ISU senior and chess club president: "We were frustrated. ISU likes to brag that they have over 800 student organizations. The fact that we're not being given the opportunity to use the name of our school — that's not something we're too pleased about."
Also affected by the change is the university's nationally recognized student solar car group that goes by the name PrISUm. The group, formed in 1989, is the longest-running solar car team in North America, and its accomplishments are frequently touted in university news releases.
Some at this week's student government meeting suggested that if university officials don't follow through on any requests in the resolution, other actions could be taken, including votes of no confidence or censure.
Woodruff said it's premature to begin talking about next steps.
"We all need to be unified," he said. "But it's true: A lot of students are losing trust in the administration."
Iowa State's student government resolution:
The Iowa State University Student Government this week unanimously approved a resolution critical of a revised trademark policy adopted by the institution. The new policy has prompted some student groups to drop any reference to Iowa State in their names.
On mobile? Check out the resolution on our DocumentCloud profile.