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CoSIDA Professional Development & Continuing Education
On Wednesday, Aug. 24, CoSIDA leaders and members of the strategic branding identity working group held an open forum/Q&A for members interested in learning more about the CoSIDA organizational name change and the
voting which will take place August 31.
For more answers to member questions, see
August CoSIDA 360 cover story: Rebranding: Answering your questions about Name, Image and Membership; #CoSIDA22 follow-up. Additional information about the process and recommendation can be found at
CoSIDA.com/a-new-vision.
Available to watch via YouTube
CoSIDA Member Live Webinar/Open Forum for New Name Vote
Original Date: Aug 24, 2022
Presenters from CoSIDA Leadership/Members of the Strategic Branding Working Group:
Sam Atkinson, Gallaudet University Associate AD for Communications/former CoSIDA President
Erik Christianson, CoSIDA Executive Director
@CoSIDAErik
Jessica Poole, Chicago State Interim Director of Athletics/2022-23 CoSIDA President
@JessPooleA2
Kevin Trainor, University of Arkansas Senior Associate AD for Public Relations & Former Student-Athlete Engagement/CoSIDA 2nd Vice President
@KTHogs
Beau White, CoSIDA Director of Creative Services
@beau_white
Moderator
Trip Durham, Founder, 2D Consulting, LLC
@2DConsulting
On the final day of August (Aug. 31), CoSIDA members will be asked to participate in a historic vote to accept a new name for the national association.
The proposed new name —
College Sports Communicators — has been recommended by the strategic branding working group and the CoSIDA Executive Board of Directors. Following the implementation of the All-In membership model to include all communicators and creatives in college athletics, the new name is the next step in the organization’s strategic rebranding to become a more inclusive organization.
Members should be aware that the vote is only for the new name of the association. Work on new branding and logos will begin upon approval of the new name. Membership voting for such organizational changes is outlined in the CoSIDA constitution.
Quotes from the August 24 webinar and open forum/Q&A for members
Video Timeline/Presenter
3:15: CoSIDA President Jessica Poole (Chicago State)
"To share some background, this process toward the future of our organization began in earnest in the summer of 2019 and has three distinct parts. The first was a change in our CoSIDA governance structure, which was a membership-wide overwhelmingly positive vote during the virtual 2019 June Convention. This was to provide additional leadership opportunities, across the membership, across divisions, for members to serve in (new) divisional leadership roles, and to give more people voice. As we looked to become a more inclusive organization in our move to the future, we changed our membership structure. We introduced our All-In membership model this year which allows a more inclusive and accessivle entry point for those who consider themselves communicators throughout our industry, regardless of medium.
The last piece brings us to where we are today – our three-point process culminated in a rebranding study. The results from that study have come from the working group which steered this - with lots of voices across the membership - have led us to the Board unanimously recommending a name change. We have been rolling toward this for quite some time."
6:42: CoSIDA Second Vice President Kevin Trainor (University of Arkansas)
"As I looked at where we were as an organization and at what our CoSIDA predecessors had done various times throughout our history, they had made decisions to position ourselves at the forefront of intercollegiate athletics. As we talked, not just about a name or logo change, but where we are and what we are doing as an organization, it made sense to take a hard look at who were were and a rebrand. We canvassed the membership throughout the process. The name is a big part of that as we re-brand and expand our membership and membership opportunities. We wanted to be upfront and very transparent about the process from the beginning, and today’s session is another step in the process to answer your questions about our chosen new name.
This (brand study and name and organizational change) is a beacon call for our external colleagues, like ADs, and for our members, to signal our evolving jobs. The movement of this organization is reflecting that."
20:30 -
When asked why the word "strategic" is not in the proposed new name ...
"It's a challenge on all of us to be strategic in our work. Strategic was something we used in the past and was discussed. I always draw the reference to the "College Football Playoff - when they first announced it, I remember people scoffing and saying that's very simplistic. But it is such a clear brand name in something that is spoken. That's what we are heading for with College Sports Communicators - something that is clear; it's what we are. Very candidly, I think it is up to us as members to show that we are strategic. It's something we are continuing to work on. All of this was talked about and debated during the process. I know people have questions about words that were discussed or not discussed. Although 'strategic' did not end up in the name that we recommended, (strategic work) is very much still a part of what we need to do as a membership, individually and collectively as an organization."
9:30: CoSIDA Executive Director Erik Christianson
"I've seen the (rebranding) process from a couple of different chairs - in my former role (at the NCAA) as a supporter and an official sponsor, and was a member of the branding working group, asked in advance of Doug Vance's retirement. As someone who has been involved in other branding processes at large organizations, this undertaking by CoSIDA has been really strong. There has been an enormous amount of due diligence. I really commend the Board and the staff for their strategic foresight and for seeing at the end of the day, it's not just about a name change. It really is about that brand promise - what are we all communicating to those with whom we work, to those we are serving, to the leadership of college sports? The Board has made a unanimous recommendation for our members to consider ... There have been numerous, dozens and dozens, of people involved in this process."
12:30: Past President Sam Atkinson (Gallaudet University)
About landing on College Sports Communicators as the name ...
"The proposal from the Board is College Sports Communicators, and not a "national association." The working group, the cabinets, the Board, discussed these words at length, and dissected words at length, ad naseum. When we got back to it, the root of what we do is 'college sports.' The references you see in mainstream media allude to 'college sports," not to 'college athletics." We wanted to come up with a name that was inclusive of all, and not a mouthful. If you look at a lof of NACDA affiliation acronymns, it's hard to know what they stand for. We wanted to make sure that we came to a point with the name that could stand on its own. That's how we came to College Sports Communicators."
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