PERSPECTIVES

Hey! What’s with the new green hue?

BY NICK CAMINO

Ever since the adoption of the “ENGAGE” slogan at CSU, a motto that is catchy and somewhat appropriate for this institution, a brand new shade of “green” has seemed to accompany the new ad campaign. No, not the standard forest green that has been the official color of the school since 1964, but rather a faded, unattractive hue that looks more like lime green.

This new color has invaded the hallways of buildings at CSU with posters, highway billboards promoting the college on area freeways, and mailers sent to homes of students and potential students. Ironically many of these T-shirts, were actually first seen at the first round of the 2009 Men’s Basketball NCAA Tournament, where head coach Gary Waters led the forest green Vikings, putting CSU on the map with an 84-69 drubbing of national powerhouse Wake Forest.

Those shirts were not around when the Vikings were on a four-game win streak in late December. Oh, shirts were around, but they were the correct school colors; forest green and white.

So, I pose the question: What’s with the green?

I have learned that the CSU Marketing Department decided to go for this new lime green. However, it is wrong to disparage the CSU Marketing Department.

One thing is for sure; the CSU Athletic Department had nothing to do with the color change and will not be changing their uniform colors any time soon.

So, again why the change? Is it possible the university is embarrassed of forest green?

It seemed just fine for the athletic department that won the McCafferty Trophy in 2008 (award given to the best athletic program in the Horizon League). It seems fine for Coach Waters, his staff and the Vikings athletes who have single-handedly helped revive this school’s image in three years.

It even seems fine for members of the CSU Hall of Fame, who don beautiful forest green jackets when they return to the university to be honored.

Perhaps the university is trying to separate itself from the Athletic Department? If they are, it is not a smart move.
Especially because it is this same Marketing Department who have proclaimed how the CSU men’s basketball team’s run to the NCAA Tournament has helped increase admissions for the college already this year!

So why the new green? Is it the fact that forest green is dull, or ugly?

Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. boasts crimson and gold colors…HIDEOUS! It certainly isn’t affecting that school’s reputation in the world of academia.

Do I like this new green? No, it really does not make sense. Are the athletic teams at CSU going to be changing their uniform colors? No.

So what exactly does this new lime green represent?

It has created mass confusion not only on the local level, but throughout the country as to what the colors of this institution truly are.

The institution’s colors are either forest green or lime green. Make a choice soon Marketing. The uncertainty in color makes CSU look divided.

Contact this reporter at
nickcamino@sbcglobal.net