Trademark and Licensing Issues
Trademarks and Licensing
The SWOSU trademark-licensing program serves to protect and enhance the university's name, reputation, and image through the administration of the controlled use of the university's trademarks, service marks, and logos. The Vice President for Administration and Finance negotiates and administers licenses with manufacturers that wish to trade upon the university name and ensure that all uses of the university's name is professional, tasteful, and of a quality which reflects positively on the institution.
Licensing Policy
All logos, seals, names, symbols, and slogans associated with Southwestern Oklahoma State University are trademarks and are the exclusive property of SWOSU. Reproduction of these marks for resale or other commercial purposes must have university authorization. The Vice President for Administration and Finance is responsible for protecting the use of Southwestern Oklahoma State University trademarks and for licensing commercial use of the marks.
What is Commercial Use?
Items for Resale
Selling products, such as cups, sweatshirts, balloons, boxer shorts, etc., bearing university trademarks is considered commercial use. This policy applies to the following situations:
- Sales to campus and private retailers
- Sales to individual customers
- Sales at Southwestern Oklahoma State University sporting events
- Sales on campus by student groups with vending permits
- Sales for fund-raising projects
Items for Promotional Use
Items that bear the trademarks of the university and those of a commercial business, such as a restaurant, which are either sold or given away, are promotional and are considered commercial.
What Activities Are Exempt from Licensing?
In-House Use of Trademarks
Registered student organizations, as defined by the university (i.e., official student organizations) and campus departments may use trademarks of the university for "in-house" purposes as on stationery, posters, signs, and banners dealing with the on-campus activities of the organization, provided such use reflects positively on the university and the logos are reproduced accurately. Artwork requires approval by the Public Information Office.
Sales Restricted to Campus Events
Office, student organizations, and campus departments may sell or give away products, such as T-shirts, bearing the marks of the university combined with the names and logos of their organization, department, or activity if such merchandise relates directly to an on-campus activity sponsored by that organization, with approval by the Vice President for Administration and Finance. A royalty waiver form must be completed and artwork approved. Examples of such projects include:
- Student Government events
- Social club events
- Homecoming events
Next Steps
The Vice President for Administration and Finance must grant approval to all outside vendors using the trademarks of the university, even if they are producing it for a university-affiliated group. If the department or organization is involved in any of the activities deemed to be commercial, the vendor from which merchandise is purchased must be licensed. Please use these licensed vendors to avoid any possibility of infringement. If the project is in the exempt category, then only variations of the artwork require approval.
Phone: (580) 774-3000
Fax: (580) 774-7101
E-mail: licensing@swosu.edu