Western University Canada: just asking for more WUCk Fustangs jokes
So what’s the deal with Western’s new name?
The official video viewed most prominently on Macleans.ca and released by the University of Western Ontario, now the Western University of Canada, attempted to explain the change. The video claimed that the numerous logos, crests and variations of the colour purple were causing a lot of confusion about the true identity of Western. Especially for people in Singapore who don’t know where Ontario is, apparently.
But while the video showed lots of fingers swiping titles around, students and some alumni are showing Western a finger too.
The brand-change, which cost the university around $200,000, blew up on social media sites with Western students expressing their disapproval of the name with statuses like “What the hell? I go to Western University now?! ” and more nostalgic lamentations for what is now being called “Vintage Western.” Happy or not though, the students must say bye-bye to the beloved acronym UWO.
Other responses were more critical, arguing that Western isn’t even geographically in the west of Canada.
President of WUC and former vice president at the University of Waterloo, Amit Chakma, said the name change was made in an attempt to make Western more globally recognizable, and to increase their already large international student population. Chakma is confident that the change will be for the betterment of the university, though others are left wondering whether removing Ontario from their title will make a significant difference.
The full extent of the change includes switching the Western university towers logo to a more traditional looking crest, changing the font to an original typeface called Hellmuth and announcing the official purple to be used by all of WUC : Pantone PMS268.
The video claimed that the changes were based on numerous surveys from students, faculty and alumni, however, some recent grads are claiming that they were powerless when it came to Western’s decision to change their name.
Other students seem less perturbed by it, claiming that most people already call the university by its shorter nickname Western anyways, so officially calling it that now hasn’t changed anything. Some seem to be in agreement that the new crest will be easier to use on Western apparel, whereas the old tower logo proved difficult to adjust for jerseys, sweaters and other pretentious Mustang swag. All together eliminated will be the popular game-day purple and white ‘W’ worn by many.
Many students from other universities seem to be unaware of the change or are quietly laughing while Western students are in an uproar. Either way, the new acronym is just asking for more WUCk Festern jokes, a joke which was recently turned on its head by new Western merchandise, which retaliated with the slogan “Festern Wucked your mom.” Points go to Western for their creativity on that one, while rival schools have been forced to think of new names to taunt the Stangs with.
Spur of the moment attempts to spurn the Mustangs have not boded well in recent years for the Gryphons, namely the “Im a Gryphon” (no punctuation) video parody of the much more professional looking video recorded by Western entitled “White and Purple.” Embarrasing moments like these remind students that these things need to be more thought out before they are released.
Though the new name certainly has Western students flustered, the storm of haters are likely to lose fuel shortly and everyone will resume calling it Western.
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