Trademark Snafu, U of Georgia to lose name?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: EEkid () aol com
Date: May 29, 2004 8:01:55 AM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Trademark Snafu, U of Georgia to lose name?

U of Georgia to lose name?

Friday, May 28, 2004

 After 219 years, the University of Georgia could become the school  
with no name.

 UGA's already messy divorce from its fund-raising organization took a  
nasty, unexpected twist Thursday: It turns out that the university  
doesn't hold the trademark to its own name. Instead, in papers filed  
last year, the University of Georgia Foundation has declared itself the  
owner of all things labeled "University of Georgia."

 In doing so, the nonprofit foundation asserted control over every  
commercial use of the university's moniker, from UGA-embossed coffee  
mugs to boxer shorts — to "education services, namely providing  
instruction at the college level," according to its trademark papers.

 It's not clear how the trademark filing will affect a yearlong dispute  
over attempts by some foundation trustees to oust UGA President Michael  
Adams. But the name issue puts a new spin on the state Board of  
Regents' decision Tuesday to end UGA's 67-year relationship with the  
foundation.

 On Wednesday, regents' leaders said that if the foundation remained in  
business, it could no longer operate with the university's imprimatur.  
State officials described UGA's name as the regents' "intellectual  
property."

 But, at least in theory, the foundation could try to force the  
University of Georgia, founded in 1785, to stop calling itself the  
University of Georgia.

http://www.benmaller.com/archives/2004/may/28- 
u_of_georgia_to_lose_name.html



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