I don't know, but my mom and dad picked cotton as migrant workers, and met in that capacity. This hard work is what clothed and fed them in the early years, started their nest-egg, and motivated them to become more than migrant workers and made them passionate about us being more than that. As such, cotton is a big part of my family's heritage and the reason that even my former migrant farmworker mom is outraged about this development.
Tech hired a consulting firm, Lipman-Hearne of Chicago, to do an image study during 2004. They found that Texas Tech was known primarily for its athletic teams. We then employed the Sherry Matthews, Inc advertising firm from Austin to develop a campaign designed to enhance the academic image of the university. That firm includes one individual who grew up in Lubbock and another who graduated from Texas Tech.
The firm developed a marketing strategy and has thus far presented it to the Regents and The President’s Administrative Council that includes all the deans. Separate presentations have also been made to the staff and the faculty. They have also presented it to focus groups in Dallas and Houston and are scheduled to present it to a group in Austin on Monday night.
I saw the presentation given to the Administrative Council and also saw a brief presentation given by Chancellor David Smith to the a recruiting meeting of the Chancellor’s Council.
These presentations demonstrated how the Seal of the university would be sharpened using computer graphics to update the elements on the Seal. As I understand it, they were first hand-drawn in 1923.
There is some controversy over a suggestion to eliminate the cotton bolls that are on the current seal and replace them with a vine representing agricultural products. I don’t think this issue is final and, based on many negative e-mail messages and phone calls, will certainly be reviewed.
I favor enhancing the Seal by giving it a sharper image. I am not convinced that elements on the Seal need to be changed.
I am going to end this by sharing a letter from Chancellor Smith regarding these changes that will appear in the next Texas Techsan.
Again, thank you for writing. It indicates that you have some strong feelings about Texas Tech.
In other words, this is penis envy between the Athletic Department and the Academic Departments..........
Hey, do you know the name of any Baptist or Church of Christ ministers there in Lubbock who might not have realized the purpose behind this change? I'd love to see some good old fashioned picketing along University!