All right, folks, gather around for the latest drama unfolding in the hallowed halls of UC Berkeley. You know, the school that’s supposed to be all about academic excellence and groundbreaking research? Well, they’ve decided to throw all that out the window and rebrand themselves as “Cal Berkeley.” Yes, you heard that right. Cal. Berkeley.
The students and alumni? They’re not having it.
A Change.org petition is blowing up, demanding the university to backtrack on this rebranding fiasco. Students, alumni, and even the local community are up in arms, claiming this new identity is a slap in the face to the university’s rich history and prestigious reputation.
They’re not wrong.
The UC Berkeley seal is iconic, representing generations of scholars and innovators. Replacing it with some generic “Cal Berkeley” logo is like trading in a vintage Rolls Royce for a used Toyota.
The petition argues that the new branding “devalues UC Berkeley degrees” and diminishes the university’s prestigious reputation. “The UC Berkeley seal is an important part of our university’s heritage,” the petition states. “It represents our history and allows students to stand out against the thousands of other colleges nationwide. By removing this logo, particularly on LinkedIn, recruiters and professionals can no longer recognize the seal that sets Cal students apart from many other candidates.”
But it’s not just the petition. Reddit is on fire, too. Berkeleyites are slamming the new logo, calling it a cheap imitation of the UCLA Bruin logo. Others are worried about the impact on their degrees, fearing that future employers will mistake them for graduates of some no-name state school.
“This objectively devalues your degree, and I’m not even joking,” one Reddit user writes. “A hiring manager taking a <2s glance at your profile now thinks ‘okay, went to some random state school.’”
Another user criticizes the new logo for its similarity to other schools, such as UCLA, arguing that it goes against the university’s objective of creating a distinct identifier. A third user states, “Whoever was in charge of this branding brought their worst to the table. Glad this petition is making the rounds.
Well – it’s true – UC Berkeley has always had a bit of an identity crisis. In the academic world, it’s all “Berkeley” this and “UC Berkeley” that. But when it comes to sports, it’s all about the “Cal” spirit. So, the university thought, “Hey, let’s just mash those two names together and call it a day!” Brilliant, right?
Wrong.
This rebranding mess is a classic example of trying to fix something that wasn’t broken. The university’s task force claims people were confused about the two names. The Los Angeles Times reports that according to research conducted by the university’s task force, “66% of Americans, 36% of Californians and 21% of Bay Area residents didn’t know or weren’t sure that the names ‘Berkeley’ ‘UC Berkeley’ ‘Cal Berkeley’ and ‘Cal’ referred to the same place.” But let’s be real, who cares? It’s a university, not a riddle. And even if there was some confusion, was a complete rebranding really the answer?
So, what’s next for UC Berkeley? Will they listen to the outcry and scrap this disastrous rebranding? Or will they stubbornly stick to their guns and alienate their entire community? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: this whole debacle is a major PR disaster for the university. And it’s a lesson for all of us: sometimes, the best way to move forward is to embrace your past, not erase it.