Student Government gathering concerns about trademark from student organizations

Members+of+Iowa+State%E2%80%99s+Student+Government+make+their+way+through+the+night%E2%80%99s+agenda+during+their+meeting+Oct.+24+in+the+Campanile+room+of+the+Memorial+Union.+The+meeting+centered+on+funding+for+Latinx+Initiatives%2C+Rodeo+Club%2C+seating+at-large+members+to+the+finance+committee+and+confirming+members+to+the+election+commission.

Katlyn Campbell/Iowa State Daily

Members of Iowa State’s Student Government make their way through the night’s agenda during their meeting Oct. 24 in the Campanile room of the Memorial Union. The meeting centered on funding for Latinx Initiatives, Rodeo Club, seating at-large members to the finance committee and confirming members to the election commission.

Madelyn Ostendorf

Student Government has turned to the student body to gather questions and concerns about the new trademark policy.

Senator Noah Heasley has contacted student organizations across campus to hear their stance on the trademark issue as well as the problems they have experienced because of the change.

Heasley is gathering information from these student organizations to utilize in future conversations with the Trademark Office as well as seeing the issues students are having and what more Student Government can do to help.

Many student organizations have had to change their names, their logos and their apparel because they violated the new trademark policy that Iowa State has implemented.

Heasley said students were given a short window of time to comply with the new regulations, and the suddenness of the change has left some organizations behind. Organizations have had issues with their rebranding and their recognizability at national and regional competitions.

Student Government is not the only campus entity that is fighting against the implementation of the new trademark policy; the organizations themselves are also joining the conversation.

Adam Jenke, the president of Ames Collegiate Chess Club, has reached out to the leaders of student organizations to invite them to have a conversation about how this policy has affected them, whether directly or indirectly.

“Even those of us whose lead student orgs that did not use any Iowa State Marks are affected by this policy,” Jenke said in an email to the student organizations. “For by taking away our ability to use ISU Trademarks the administration implies, intentionally or not, that our student orgs are simply not responsible enough to represent Iowa State properly.”

Jenke has organized an informal meeting for leaders of student organizations to establish a common goal and be able to show the administration that the student organizations back the efforts of Student Government.

This informal meeting will take place from 8 to 9 p.m. Thursday in 305 Carver.