THE people have spoken and while 73 per cent of them don't like Charles Sturt University's new logo, many say it's a dead ringer for a famous science fiction movie scene.
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The university's rebrand was revealed on Wednesday with CSU not only introducing the new logo, but also a $104 million campaign to help "tell our story and give attention to what we do".
CSU has deserted from the Sturt's desert pea insignia and instead gone with a shield design with three sections of lines that represent the university's heritage of books, agriculture and rivers.
To rebrand CSU's six campuses - located in Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Albury-Wodonga, Wagga Wagga and Port Macquarie - will cost $6.5 million, which is included in the $104m.
This will be the third logo for the university in the past 10 years.
Reaction to the new logo was swift right across the Central West with almost 400 votes recorded in a poll conducted by Australia Community Media.
VIDEO: Some say the logo looks like the Fifth Element stones
Within 24 hours of the new logo being unveiled, 73 per cent (288 votes) said they did not like the new logo and they preferred the original one.
While, 21 per cent (83 votes) said they liked the new logo and it was time for a change. Five per cent (22 votes) were not sure.
The dumping of the old logo also drew an angry reaction from many on Facebook, with many likening it to the stones used in the Fifth Element movie that was released in 1997.
Roland Zopf was among the readers who saw the likeness and said the logo "looks like it was copied from the Fifth Element stones".
Other readers were simply angry so much money had been spent on a new logo and subsequent rebranding.
"How about improving your services and make your brand a status symbol. Rather than change names and logos every couple of years at great expense," Matt Ware posted.
Brian Atkinson asked: "What does this expenditure do to improve the educational output of CSU?"
Micky Roffe posted: "Would it not be better spent giving scholarships wake up it's not broken leave it alone."
Some readers, however, did like CSU's new logo, including Paula Bulivou who called it "clever and inviting".
CSU vice chancellor Professor Andrew Vann said the $104m transformation would include strategic initiatives, including information technology, research, scholarships and other strategic focus areas.
These include:
- A new set of courses based on the needs of communities and future workforce skills, including medicine.
- A new look and feel to online subject delivery - 120 subjects will be updated in 2019 and continue to be led by experts in the field with one-on-one support for students.
- Centralising student communication to ensure students get the information they need, when they need it.
- Support staff will be more visible in both the online and on-campus experience with a central welcome point for all enquiries.
- Establishing 24/7 support to some key service areas such as information technology.
- Appointing a new Director, Student Safety and Wellbeing, to ensure a more inclusive and safe space for students.
- Engaging more with local schools regarding the skills needed to be successful in the future
- Engaging more with the community to understand where opportunities and partnerships can be leveraged.