THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
BY THOR NYSTROM
tnystrom@kansan.com
A group of University of Kansas alumni upset over the Athletics Department's decision in July to change the font of its sports teams' jersey to Trajan has started a Web site with a name clearly stating its opinion: trajansucks.com.
The decision to change the font was made after the University decided four years ago to unify the graphic identity of the school. The Department committed initially to support the University in the unification, and over the summer it was announced that Jayhawk teams would switch to Trajan font for the coming season.
Matt Kirkland and Brad Lewis, 2003 KU graduates, decided to do something about it. After exchanging e-mails with what
Kirkland called "other dismayed alums," the two decided to create a Web site and sell T-shirts in protest. Kirkland, a web designer, created the page. Lewis designed the shirts, which read "Trajan Sucks," and came in blue and red.
"It is a well-constructed font, speaking as a designer myself," Kirkland said of Trajan. "But it is overused. It doesn't mean anything; it doesn't stand for anything. Certainly not our University. It doesn't say Kansas Athletics."
The site, created last week, offers a forum for fans to discuss the font issue.
It asks for a return to the "curling, arcerified typeface" that "subtly evolved into a unique symbol of jayhawk pride."
Associate Athletics Director Jim Marchiony said the Athletics Department is committed to the change and he can't
foresee another change in the future.
"We have so many real issues to deal with, that Web site certainly isn't one of them," Marchiony said.
Marchiony said the Department hadn't received one negative e-mail about the change to the uniforms, which included a switch to Trajan font on helmets and uniforms, since the beginning of the football season.
Posters on the message board are mostly anti-Trajan.
For Kansan sports columnist Rustin Dodd's thoughts on the University's switch to Trajan font, see page 1B.
"Trajan on the basketball jerseys is a sin. Do what you want with football, but let basketball be," one poster wrote.
A few disagreed.
"I hate to burst your bubble, but the font is not that historical," another person wrote. "We started wearing it in the '80s. That's not exactly steeped in tradition. It's not like they're changing the colors, or the mascot."
This is the fourth time the football uniforms have changed since 2001. The colors were changed from royal blue to dark blue in 2002, then to "KU blue" for the 2005 season.
Marchiony said the Department would listen to dissenting views but would do what is in the best interest of the University.
"I thought the University's respect for the athletic programs would be stronger
than that," Kirkland said of the changes. "This is too far and was done by someone that didn't understand the history of what they were changing."
The University switched to Trajan lettering in the summer of 2005. It paid $88,900 to LandreyMorrow, a Portland, Ore., company, to assist with the design.
Kirkland, who now lives in San Diego, said his goal is for the Athletics Department to re-think the font change in time for basketball season.
"We want to see them roll out for Late Night with the old Circus font," Kirkland said.
Edited by Amelia Freidline
ASSOCIATED PRESS
INJURY ENDS SEASON
Deuce McAllister suffers second knee injury FULL STORY PAGE 28
weather
FULL STORY PAGE 7B
79 47
Sunny
THURSDAY
80 53
Sunny
FRIADAY
84 61
Mostly sunny
index
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Classifieds...5B
Crossword...4A
Horoscopes...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...4A
All contents, unless stated otherwise.
© 2007The University Daily Kansan
>> SPEAKER
Guest gives AbleHawks'power'
A national pageant contestant visited KU last night to deliver a message of inspiration.
AbleHawks, a student organization dedicated to disability issues, hosted Lorraine Cannistra, Ms. Wheelchair Kansas, on campus to talk about her road to the title and her work advocating disability rights.
She recently competed with 26 other contestants for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America.
Cannistra talked of her "Use Your Power!" message she hopes to spread nationwide. She also spoke of the difficulties she faces every day and the challenges she faces in getting her message across.
FULL STORY PAGE 6A
ROWING
City Commission OKs boathouse permit
The Lawrence City Commission granted a special use permit for the Kansas women's rowing team's new boathouse Tuesday. The boathouse, illustrated above, will feature boat storage, locker rooms and a workout area.
The construction of the building will be funded by a student fee referendum passed in the spring of 2006. Team member Alia Bober, Parsons senior, said she was just as excited to see the progress of the boathouse as younger members. She said she had followed the project from day one and had pushed for the student fee referendum in 2006.
The Kansas women's rowing team moved closer to getting their new boathouse when Lawrence City Commissioners approved a special use permit for the building Tuesday.
Bober said the existing facility in Burcham Park was a chain-link storage area with boat racks. She said the team was excited at the thought of having locker rooms and a training space.
"It will be nice to have a roof over our heads," Bober said.
FULL STORY PAGE 6A
Anna Faltermier/KANSAN
Charles Goldberg, Chicago junior, gives directions to Devon Gilmsky, Omaha, Neb., freshman, left, and Jordan LeBoyer, North Brook III, freshman, center, while constructing a Sukkah at the Chadhouse in Lawrence Tuesday evening. A Sukkah is a traditional shelter built for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Members of Alpha Epius Pfriaternity constructed the shelter.
RELIGION
The group will have a hut in front of the Chabad Student Center, one on Stuaffer-Flint lawn and a mobile kukah that will
Chabad celebrates Sukkot holiday
For the next seven days the Chabad Student Center will erect and dwell in temporary sukkhah huts.
The huts are part of a Jewish holiday called Sukkot, a holiday when Jews remember their past and think about their blessings.
FULL STORY PAGE 3A
Student housing, ResNet could increase yearly costs
travel around the University campus and Lawrence.
CAMPUS
Students living in the University's scholarship halls met with the Department of Student Housing and ResNet on Tuesday night to discuss proposed budget changes that could start in the fall of 2008
Both the Department and ResNet want
2
to increase current yearly costs to help get rid of the deficit scholarship halls face and to compensate for inflation in coming years.
i
Voting for the proposals will take place Thursday night.
FULL STORY PAGE 3A
8