Jacksonville State University adopts new name, new logo

Jan. 10—JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville State University board of trustees has approved a new look and a new name for the institution.

Welcome to Jax State, everybody.

"This is what we want to be called," chief marketing officer Tim Garner told the board, which gave final unanimous approval to the new name and a new logo Tuesday.

The new logo incorporates the new name. Last changed in 2009, the logo has been based on the "JSU" initials, using what's called a gamecock "feather spread" placed across the letter "U."

Garner presented the "brand refresh" option to the board Monday. While the institution will still legally be Jacksonville State University, "Jax State" will be its daily-use moniker. Visually, for the logo, the words "Jax State" are stacked, with "Jax" in red, "state" in white. The all-capital letters are set on a slight slant, and the formal name of the school anchors the bottom edge of the image.

The Jax State brand refresh was done entirely in-house to cut down on total costs and will be slowly rolled out over a "time-phased" event until fall of 2023 as all of the school's 150 commercial licensees are notified of the change and further changes to signage are made to the school.

Garner told the board of trustees Monday that the new logo is intended to distinguish the university from other similarly named schools such as Jackson State University in Mississippi or Jacksonville University in Florida.

Athletics director Greg Seitz told board members his department was in full support of the change.

Trustee Randy Owen said that the new brand was "easier to say," sounding "hip," and said he thinks that it will resonate with both a younger crowd and alumni.

New football days

Seitz told the board Monday that the new football schedule might surprise them. The fall lineup was released Tuesday to the public and is "different that what you've seen before," Seitz said.

Instead of the traditional Saturday football games, five of the 12 games in the upcoming season have been moved to Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

"The main reason is because with our move to FBS and Conference USA, it gives our league a unique opportunity to showcase itself nationally by playing on ESPN, ESPN2 or CBS Sports during the week. So you're really the only game in town on that specific night," Seitz said.

By moving some of the games to a weeknight, Seitz is hoping to gain more notoriety, not only for the athletic department, but for the whole school, he said.

"We have 20 games through the Conference USA package. Most of our games during that time will be on a linear network nationally," Seitz said.

As for those who might attend Jax State games in person, Seitz said the new times give new opportunities to those fans. Auburn and Alabama season ticket holders who might not choose to go to Jax State games will be able to do so a few times under the new schedule.

"I think our students are really going to love the opportunity," because for the ones that usually go home on the weekends. Well, they'll be here during the week. So they'll have an opportunity to come and attend those football games," Seitz said.

Bowling team

During the Athletics Committee Meetings on Monday and Tuesday, trustees also approved the university's first bowling team, a proposal Seitz first brought to the board last July.

Last year, he explained that during the time the Big Time Entertainment center in Oxford was being built, the university's athletics department asked the company to keep the school in mind as ideas for a collegiate-level bowling team were in the works.

That idea was finalized Tuesday morning as the trustees voted it into existence.

Other items of discussion

Another topic of discussion during the meetings Monday and Tuesday was the appointment of a new Dean for College of Business and Industry. Brent Cunningham. He had been appointed to the position under an interim role, but the board decided after a year of holding the title, he was the best person for the job.

"I am honored to be named the new dean of the College of Business and Industry," Cunningham said. "I appreciate the confidence that the President and the Provost have in me, and we have a lot of exciting things planned."

In other news, the university was approved for a FEMA grant to fund a multi-use storm shelter and safe room.

The application for the facility was submitted years ago, so the original costs of building materials and the amount the university will have to match will change, according to university officials.

In the original form, Jax State's costs were $1.2 million to assist in the construction. The facility will be generally a 16,000 square foot room with restrooms and a generator.

Some pointed out during the trustee meeting that the room is large enough that it could also double as an indoor practice facility for the marching band, as the band has 1500 members.

The board also discussed progress that has been made on the sidewalks and crosswalks in the wake of the death of Leah Tarvin, a college student that was killed in a pedestrian accident on Alabama highway 21 last year.

University police Chief Michael Barton told the board the Alabama Department of Transportation was meeting with university officials to continue to address the issue. He said construction on a new sidewalk as well as a new traffic flow for pedestrians and other safety measures are already underway.

"We see this as a good beginning step forward, but we realize and we have allocated to the Alabama Department of Transportation that it doesn't need to be the end result," Barton said.

Barton said the university has a task force that continues to work with ALDOT to address the issue.

Staff Writer Ashley Morrison: 256-236-1551. On Twitter: @AshMorrison1105.