Some student publications may be required to change their titles and add disclaimers to avoid implying they are official University publications. Tufts will likely change its policy on the use of its name this summer, a move which was sparked by issues surrounding the student journal TuftScope.
TuftScope calls itself a journal of health, ethics, and policy. Its initial subtitle was the "Tufts University Journal of Health, Ethics, and Policy," raising concerns that the journal would be seen as an official publication of the University. Tufts officials said that the name was in violation of University policy.
"TuftScope was a victim of our success," founding editor Brad Crotty said. He said TuftScope grabbed widespread attention because of its professional appearance and its marketing outside of the Tufts undergraduate community. If the publication had retained its original subtitle, the University would have had authority over its editorial content.
TuftScope changed its subtitle to "The Interdisciplinary Journal of Health, Ethics and Policy" in accordance with a deal brokered by Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. The journal also added a disclaimer stating it is student publication of Tufts University.
Reitman said the change will have little effect on student groups. "Any new policies will probably focus on the need to indicate that the group is a student organization," he said. "There will not be a radical change."
The policy will be revised this summer under the direction of Reitman, the Provost's Office, and Director of Student Activities Jodie Nealley. "The policy is not very specific ... the rules are not very concrete," Crotty said.
The policy will then likely move from the Provost's office to the Office of Student Activities.
Reitman said that in the past there have been problems with the use of the Tufts name on the Internet, often for profit. Many other schools and corporations face similar concerns about the unauthorized use of names and trademarks.
The journal gains reliability by using the Tufts name, Crotty said. "You gain credibility by being able to be associated with the school." He pointed to similar student publications at Harvard and other schools that use the name of their institution to increase visibility. "Journals come from someplace not from out of the blue. Being able to use the Tufts name tells where it comes from."
Student publications on campus will likely add a disclaimer similar to the one TuftScope uses. Crotty thinks Hemispheres, the student journal of International Affairs, will have to change its name in a similar fashion. Hemishpere's current subtitle is "The Tufts University Journal of International Relations."
"I think it needed to happen. I'm glad that they were reasonable when they approached this," Crotty said.
