Registered Student Organizations provide valuable engagement opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members. Brand guidelines must be followed to ensure your connection to Iowa is clear for the students and audiences you engage with.

When your student organization is granted registration with the University of Iowa, it is classified as general, affiliated, or sponsored. Your registration tier is determined by the Office of the Dean of Students’ assessment of your student organization’s relationship to the university, the purpose and scope of its activities, and the audiences you serve. 

Know your classification tier to understand how brand guidelines apply to your organization. For detailed definitions, see the Registration of Student Organizations policy.

Black circle badges with block IOWA logo positioned below Student Organization and Sport Club plain text identifiers

Use an official badge to identify with Iowa

Regardless of tier, student organization and sport club badges are the approved way for your student organization to use the IOWA logo. 

  • Use badges on all your communication and promotions to indicate your connection to the University of Iowa.
  • Badges are to be used separately and not in place of your organization’s logo or name.
  • Badges should be used in accordance with guidelines and must not be altered or recreated.

Badges are available and should only be used by student organizations and sport clubs officially registered and in active status with the Office of the Dean of Students or Recreational Services. 

Download badge files

Additional options based on your registration tier and classification

Given their role representing the university, sponsored and affiliated student organizations—including affiliated sport clubs—are the only organizations allowed to access additional trademarks, logos, and other elements of the Iowa brand as outlined below:

Sponsored student organizations

As a sponsored student organization, you serve a broader audience and work in partnership with a university department or unit. Your organization follows additional policies and has access to university resources as outlined in the Policies and Regulations Affecting Students

The Office of the Dean of Students may require direct association with the university through an official lockup, and your organization must then follow all institutional brand guidelines in the same manner as a unit or department. 

Academically affiliated student organizations

If your organization affiliates with an academic program and would like to use an official program lockup, you must seek permission from the unit brand manager. Approval is at the discretion of the unit brand manager and is limited to gear and apparel used for:

  • Fundraising efforts

  • Representing the academic program at an external event

Don’t use a student organization badge or any unique graphics associated with your student organization when using an official lockup. Follow all institutional brand guidelines. 

Sport clubs

As a club team competing regionally and nationally, your club follows additional guidelines for official identification and has access to university trademarks for use on competition uniforms. Vintage athletic marks should not be used on your competition gear or apparel. See Sport Club Licensing Policy for additional policies. 

Your club must include an official sport club badge on competition uniforms and all marketing and promotional items to differentiate from intercollegiate athletic teams affiliated with the Department of Athletics. Follow all identification and badge usage guidelines. 

Badge color usage 

Preview of full-color badge with block IOWA in gold and sport club label in white on a black badge.

Full-color

Use the full-color version of the badge on gold or white backgrounds in four-color applications.

Gold on black student org badge

Gold

Use the gold version of the badge on black or white backgrounds or in two-color applications.

Black on white student org badge

Black (one-color)

The badge in black must be limited to one-color applications and displayed over a light background.

The Student Organization badge reversed which means that the fill of the badge is transparent to the background it is displayed on and all other components including the IOWA logo are displayed in all white

White (one-color)

The badge in white must be limited to one-color applications and displayed over a dark background.

Badge usage and restrictions

Badge shown in white over a dark color and in black over a light color

One-color usage

Use the black or reversed badge for one-color applications or if the badge is displayed over off-brand colors.

Club name and university reference shown in plain text on a pen

Limited space

If a badge can’t be used, include “at the University of Iowa” in plain text on your gear and apparel.

Badge displayed in green demonstrating a prohibitive use

Don’t change colors

Don’t display badges or the IOWA logo in any other off-brand color.

A badge shown altered with additional graphics and edited text demonstraing a prohibitive use

Don’t alter or modify

Don’t add organization names, include drop shadow, rotate, modify, or distort official badges in any way.

Diagram showing the clear space requirement for a student organization badge. The clear space equals the height of the block IOWA logo and should be honored around all sides of the badge.

Badge clear space

The amount of clear space around the badge must be no smaller than the height of the block IOWA logo. Don’t place text or any graphic element within this clear-space area.

Badge minimum size

In order to ensure legibility, the badge must not appear smaller than the following dimensions.

  • Print: 1.25 inches wide
  • Digital: 150 pixels wide
  • Limited imprint area: 1.0 inch wide

All general and affiliated student organizations are encouraged to create a unique logo to represent and promote their offering:

Do:

  • Create a graphic or illustration that meaningfully represents your organization.
  • Clearly and prominently display your organization name and avoid using acronyms.
  • Leverage symbols and follow standards outlined by national affiliations or parent organizations. If possible, update colors to black and gold to reflect the Iowa chapter of your organization.

Don’t:

  • Incorporate any University of Iowa logo or trademark in your logo.
  • Create or include art renditions or caricatures of the block IOWA, Tigerhawk, Herky mascot, or any University of Iowa trademark. Modifications are not allowed and will not be approved.
  • Use any secondary logos (Tigerhawk, Herky mascot, university seal) to promote your organization. 
  • Include any profane or graphically explicit words, symbols, or imagery.
  • Mimic official lockups. With the exception of the sponsored tier, student organizations are not eligible for a lockup.

Logos may be subject to review and approval by the Office of the Dean of Students, Recreational Services, and/or your academic college. 

Using the university name with your organization name

The University of Iowa is a trademark and cannot precede the name of a student organization. When using the university name, use the phrase “at the University of Iowa” or “at Iowa” to keep the association to Iowa accurate.

For example:

  • Active Minds at the University of Iowa
  • Actuarial Science Club at Iowa

The text must be formatted in the same font, size, and weight to ensure the words appear together as a contiguous phrase. 

 

Exception

Sponsored student organizations are the ONLY tier allowed to use the University of Iowa name before their official organization name. 

For example:

  • University of Iowa Lecture Committee
  • University of Iowa Dance Marathon

Unique logo and identification examples

Full club name shown on front of mug with badge on back of mug

Organization name

Clearly and prominently display your organization’s full name as part of your logo or as plain text if you don't have a logo.

Clothing Closet logo demonstrating use of black and gold in logo symbols

Black and gold

While not required, using black and gold is encouraged for your logo to create immediate recognition and alignment with the Iowa brand. 

The Tigerhawk and block IOWA incorporated into a unique logo to demonstrate prohibitive use

No appropriation

Don’t incorporate any Iowa logo or trademark into your unique logo. Appropriation is prohibited.

Sample logo that uses only the acronym "ACS" for its name

Avoid acronyms

Acronyms are difficult to translate and don’t lend meaning or clarity to what your organization offers.

Using a badge with your unique logo

Sample mockup showing student org badge in lower right corner with placeholder for club logo at the top

Printed communication

Use the badge separately and in a secondary way to your unique logo, following color and clear space guidelines.

Sample tees showing unique logo and badge in separate imprint areas and in single imprint areas

Gear and apparel

Use the badge in a second imprint area, separate from your unique graphics. If a second imprint is not an option, place the badge in the available imprint and follow clear space criteria.

Sample digital sign mockup showing placeholder for club logo at the top, event content in center, and footer at bottom with official badge.

Digital signage

Use the badge near university accessibility and nonendorsement statements in your event promotions. Footer templates are available for digital signage displays. 

Ordering gear and apparel? Be sure to follow the licensing process.

Student organizations must follow University Licensing policy when ordering merchandise and partner with the Student Organization Business Office to follow appropriate purchasing policies. Products and designs must be approved by the UI Trademark Licensing Office. Take the following steps when ordering merchandise and apparel and allow two weeks for processing each request:

Licensing Process

  • Suppliers who manufacture and/or
 sell items imprinted with any trademark or element of the University of Iowa brand must be licensed by the university.
  • You must purchase merchandise and apparel through an approved licensed vendor. 
  • There are over 600 approved licensed vendors throughout the state and country. If you are unable to find product offerings from licensees that fulfill your needs, contact uilicensing@hawkeyelicensing.com.

Approved licensed vendors

  • Work with your vendor and its provided templates to develop artwork that follows brand guidelines.
  • Whenever wordmarks, trademarks, logos, symbols, and/or elements associated with the University of Iowa visual identity appear on merchandise and apparel, they must be accompanied by the appropriate registration mark. That may be a ® or ™ symbol, depending on the legal registration status of the trademark displayed.
  • Student organization and sport club badge files already include the registration ® symbol for you.
  • If needed, contact the Division of Student Life for additional guidance on artwork development.

Contact Division of Student Life

Application and Agreement Form

  • Per your vendor's contract with the university, they must independently submit the artwork to the University Trademark Licensing Office for approval.

Trademark Licensing Office

  • If the application and artwork are approved, the UI Trademark Licensing Office will provide final agreement to you and notify the vendor that production can begin.
Megaphone icon

 

Advertising and promotion

The Iowa Memorial Union provides various display opportunities for you to advertise and promote your organization and events. These opportunities are subject to all IMU, Dean of Students, and University of Iowa operating policies.

See Advertising Display Options

Policies and governance

Registered Student Organizations, including Sport Clubs and Greek Letter Organizations, must adhere to policies and procedures outlined and administered by the Office of the Dean of Students. University nonendorsement and accessibility statements must be used when promoting club events and activities. 

Dean of Students

The Office of the Dean of Students administers policies and procedures for student organizations in accordance with the university and applicable laws. 

Operations Manual

The University of Iowa Operations Manual establishes policy for the governance and regulation of student organizations.

Nonendorsement statement

All event and activity promotion by a registered student organization must include the approved nonendorsement statement.

“Programs and activities sponsored by registered student organizations are planned and hosted by student organization representatives and do not represent endorsement by the University of Iowa.”

Accessibility statement

All event and activity promotion by a registered student organization must include the university accessibility statement.

“Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact (insert: the sponsoring department or contact person) in advance at (insert: telephone number).”