By: Brianna Wallen
Editor-in-Chief
New banners installed outside of Buley Library over the summer have sparked mixed reactions among students, with some welcoming the university’s updated branding while others question the absence of its previous social justice messaging.
The signage refresh replaced displays that highlighted social justice with banners promoting the university’s academic achievements, research designation and student success.
“This fall, Integrated Communications & Marketing began a planned cyclical refresh of campus signage to enhance visual consistency across university spaces,” Allison O’Leary wrote in a message to the campus community on June 16.
O’Leary said the first phase of the project occurred in March, when new signage was installed at the Wintergreen Building and Wintergreen Parking Garage before Accepted Students Day.
“That work continued with the installation of a new banner system on the front of Buley Library, which provides a more sustainable and flexible way to update institutional messaging over time,” O’Leary said.
This is not the only new change, as pole banners along the Academic Quad walkways and updated signage in and around Buley Library and the Student Center have also been posted throughout campus.
“As these updates continue, our campus visuals will reflect the university’s mission and longstanding commitment to social justice while also celebrating academic excellence, our R2 research designation, student success and Southern pride,” O’Leary said.
However, some students said this new look raises questions about how the university presents its values.
Many students who were not on campus during the summer became aware of new banners through an Instagram post from the university’s official account.
“I saw the change while scrolling on Instagram, and I was disappointed,” healthcare studies major Chrystophe Obiang Ze, a senior, said.
To Obiang Ze, the previous banners proudly displayed the university’s identity as a social justice institution.
“It used to serve as a reminder that the school is still upholding their identity as a social justice school, despite the policies with DEI,” Obiang Ze said.
Obiang Ze said the university’s new messaging places greater emphasis on its accomplishments while leaving out the social justice messaging that many students value and resonate with.
“We’re an R2 school now, but we’re no longer promoting that we support DEI or that we’re a social justice school,” Obiang Ze said.
Obiang Ze said the university’s commitment to social justice was one of the reasons he chose to attend the university.
“Southern stood out to me as one of the state schools that has social justice, inclusivity and diversity as their top priority,” Obiang Ze said.
Now, as a senior, he recognizes that a different message is shared.
“I’m seeing a shift in what they’re promoting to prospective students and values that the institution is upholding,” Obiang Ze said.
While the university described the project as a planned refresh, the reaction highlights how campus signage can serve as more than decoration.
For some students, the banners represent a visible statement of the values they associate with their university.
