New Year Begins with Graphic Standards Initiative

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has launched a new program of enhanced graphic and editorial standards to promote a clear, consistent institutional identity for the university as a whole and its components.

The enhancements seek to give faculty, staff, students and volunteers an easier approach to developing communications that effectively represent the university.

At the core of the program are updated logos for the health science center and the schools and revised guidelines for their use.

“Everyone associated with our institution – staff, faculty, students and friends acting on our behalf – is a steward of the way we present our name and image,” said James T. Willerson, M.D., president of the UT Health Science Center at Houston.

“The new program provides clear instruction on how to use our name on everything produced by or for the university,” he said. “Staff members in the Office of Public Affairs are available to consult on maximizing communications efforts while promoting a consistent organizational identity.”

The graphic standards enhancements represent an evolution of graphic standards initiated several years ago, said Jane Brust, assistant vice president for public affairs.

“Over the years, various names and logos have been utilized for the health science center as a whole and for the schools,” Brust said. “The new program promotes a consistent styling of our university and school names, with fewer options in logos.”

Among the changes, the “UT-Houston” logo is no longer to be used, nor is the university to be referred to as “UT-Houston” in print. According to state statute, the correct name of the institution is “The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.”

Also, the logo for the health science center has been modified to reduce slightly the size of the shield in proportion to the institutional name, so that the name is more prominent.

Only the standard designs may be used for letterhead stationery and the front of business cards. Additional, relevant logos or information may be used on the back of business cards.

“The single most important point for everyone to follow is that everything produced by or for the university needs the proper logo, and for print pieces, it needs to be on the front cover,” Brust said. “We do the university a disservice when we produce materials that describe our activities but fail to identify the university or school responsible. On the other hand, proper, consistent use of the logo promotes our identity and adds value to our communications.”

Most of the enhanced graphic standards apply also to Web site design. Institutional Web standards – developed by the Web Council for all Web pages on UT Health Science Center at Houston servers – ensure an attractive, easily navigable Web site that is also compliant with federal and state laws.

All interested faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend a one-hour graphic standards class to familiarize themselves with the new standards. In addition, departments around campus are asked to appoint one or more graphics coordinators to attend the class and serve as resources for graphic standards compliance.

The graphic standards Web site at http://inside.uthouston.edu/graphicguide/ includes class schedules, graphic and editorial standards, downloadable logos, and Web standards and page templates.

“Full implementation of our new program will take time as well as cooperation,” Brust said. “Looking beyond our printed materials and electronic communications, we ultimately want to see the prominent, consistent use of our name and logo on our campus buildings and other signage. We all need to work together to enhance our institutional identity.”

Led by the Office of Public Affairs, the project has benefited from the input of the Marketing and Community Relations Council, the Communications Council, the Institutional Relations Council and the Executive Council, as well as the deans and other administrative leaders.