Given both the multifaceted nature of the University at Buffalo and the wide array of its publications—utilizing print, Web and other visual media—it is important to maintain a strong, consistent visual presence for the university and create an integrated look and feel to UB publications.

This section of the Communications Toolbox presents a strong, unified set of visual standards for representing UB’s multiple schools, departments, programs and offices. Prescribing standards for all uses of school colors, fonts and the official university seal—and thus influencing everything from campus signs to digital media—creates a visual identity that unites the university community. This visual identity gives our institution a familiar and welcoming public presence, immediately recognizable to the many populations we serve, while enabling UB’s schools, departments and other units to communicate their unique identities within the overall University at Buffalo brand.

The University at Buffalo visual identity comprises the different versions of the university’s name, the university logo the official UB colors and the university seal. For each of these elements, acceptable practices of presentation are outlined in this toolbox. The names, logos, colors and seals in this guide are the only ones that may be used for communications in print or electronic form and on other materials.

If you have questions or would like to request an exception to the approved usage presented in this guide, please contact:

University Logo

The interlocking UB logo with supporting typography (also known as a logotype) is the keystone of the University at Buffalo’s visual identity.

The combination of these elements makes the identification of our university striking, dramatic and immediate. The interlocking capital U and B are custom-designed and are therefore unique from commercially available fonts. The bold (Frutiger Ultra Black) and italic (Minion Display Italic) fonts used in the logotype work together to blend modern and traditional images. The weight of the bold font is designed to emphasize our University at Buffalo name and to stress our local roots, while the more delicate italic font dignifies our stature within the State University of New York system.

University Seal

The official university seal is reserved for formal uses, such as authenticating diplomas, transcripts, and other official documents. It is not to be used for any other purposes.

Description

The official university seal is a circular plaque, with “University at Buffalo” and “The State University of New York” surrounding an inner plaque. On the inner plaque is an American bison (locally called a "buffalo"), signifying the university’s local origin, mounted on an escutcheon that is supported by the palm leaves of victory. The escutcheon itself contains two inescutcheons, bearing the initials U and B, and 1846, the year of the university’s founding. A chevron separating the inescutcheons is charged with the flames of wisdom.

History

Before 1922, the university’s official seal represented only the medical, dental and law schools. In 1922, the University Council commissioned Lucius Bartlett to design a new seal that would represent the entire university. This seal, cut by Tiffany and Company and officially adopted by the university on September 18, 1923, featured the university’s name in Latin. The official university seal adopted in 1982 showed the university’s name in English. The seal was revised slightly in 2001 to feature our formal University at Buffalo, The State University of New York name in the outer ring.

For more historical details:

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