Uni distances itself from student societies in barmy re-branding

VC Stuart Corbridge has ordered students societies to rebrand to distance themselves from uni bureaucracy.

In proposed changes DSU societies have been ordered to stop “any unlicensed use of the [university’s] name, colours or crest.”

This means student made society logos using elements of the university’s crest or the famous “palatinate” colour might have to go back to the drawing board.

These will all have to go

As if the students spending hours running these groups haven’t been hit hard enough, the university no longer wants to be associated with them.

All societies might have to use “Durham Students’ Union,” not “Durham University” in all of their branding and promotional materials.

This would cause havoc for societies using acronyms as handy words, such as DUCK, who will unfortunately become DSUCK.

Christmas has come early, however, for Durham University Maths Soc, as they go from an inaccurate DUMS to an appropriately named DSUMS.

All of this barmy uni bureaucracy comes as the university tries to “strengthen their own brand.” Apparently the societies who make this university the community it is, are weakening the university’s name.

The Tab doesn’t understand why the uni doesn’t come to Cheapskates, or join a DU Sport to strengthen their brand like the rest of us.

The DSU are also looking to strengthen their brand as they call for all societies to “refer to ourselves using our full name, ‘Durham Students’ Union’, in all promotional materials.”

A DSU example of what has to go

In a typical move to patronise every student in the university, the Students’ Union bots told societies:

“We have found that the use of acronyms such as ‘DSU’ can be confusing for new students who may not know what the term means.

“As we want the Union to be inclusive for all students we would ask that groups no longer use the acronym DSU on any promotional material.”

Let’s pray we don’t need to come into contact with the NUS, DURFC, or the BBC in the future. Who knows how we have coped thus far.

All hope is not lost, however, as if the feedback is “overwhelmingly negative” the Students’ Union will of course “report this back to the university”.

And the university, as usual, will tell them where to go.