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  4. 4.19 Use of MCCCD Marks

4.19 Use of MCCCD Marks

  1. Background 
    The Maricopa County Community College District owns and controls its name and the names of its colleges as well as names that have become associated with them such as the “Maricopa Community Colleges,” and all logos, insignia, mascot designs and other marks that the District or its colleges uses (collectively called “Marks”). The District has registered many of these with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

     

    The purpose of this licensing regulation is to protect the integrity of the District’s Marks and to enhance the positive image of the District and its colleges through approval of the use of the Mark by licensees who adhere to District standards.

    This regulation provides guidance on permissible use, as well as restrictions on the use, of the Marks. It also designates responsibility for granting permission through written license agreements. An outside party’s use of the Marks without a license as required under this regulation is prohibited and may constitute trademark infringement, trademark dilution and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws.

  2. Who Should Use This Regulation 
    This regulation applies to outside entities such as educational service providers or collaborators, suppliers or manufacturers of commercial and non-commercial products or services wishing to be associated with the Marks. It also applies to any person, regardless of whether or not they are an employee, student, or alumni of the District, who wishes to use the Marks for something other than a District-sponsored activity. Finally, it applies to Faculty, staff, students, academic departments, ad hoc campus groups, administrative divisions/departments, alumni organizations and student organizations.
  3. Approval of and Monitoring the Use of the Marks
    The District Director, Purchasing & Auxiliary Services in conjunction with the Legal Services Department on legal issues and the District Director of Marketing on design and marketing issues, is responsible for approving the use of the Marks under this regulation.
  4. General Guidelines for Use of the Marks
    The Marks are intended to be a positive image of the District. They may not be altered in any way from the graphic specifications approved by the District’s Marketing Department, relating to the use of the Maricopa Community Colleges Marks, or, for the Colleges, by each College’s Marketing Director. Additionally, the Marks may not be used in the name of a business, in a logo or design, in promoting services or products, or on a product in a way that states or implies an endorsement by the District.

    The Marks may not be used in any way that discriminates or implies discrimination against any persons or groups based on age, ancestry, belief, color, creed disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status, or in any other way that would be a violation of the District’s anti-discrimination policies.

    The use of the Marks in conjunction with the following types of products, services or designs will not normally be approved:

    • Products that could be used to injure or kill
    • Alcohol and alcohol-related products Tobacco and tobacco-related products
    • Sexually suggestive products or designs
    • Legally controlled substances
    • Religious affiliated products, services or designs
    • Political products, services or design
    • Products or services that present an unacceptable risk of liability
    • Products or services that are inimical to the mission or image of the District or that aren’t, in the sole discretion of the District, in good taste.
  5. Commercial Use 
    Use of a Mark in connection with any commercial or for-profit purpose, including on the web, requires a license agreement with the District and the payment of royalties. Royalties will be directed to the accounts of the College or other District entity whose Marks are being used. The Legal Services Department may approve contract provisions in which a third party requests that it be permitted to use a Mark to identify that the District or its Colleges are customers, but only if the provision states that the District Director, Purchasing & Auxiliary Services must approve the use in advance and that the use cannot suggest in any way that the District or its Colleges endorses the third party’s products or services.
  6. Non-Commercial or Non-Profit Use
    Faculty, staff, students academic departments, ad hoc campus groups, administrative divisions/departments, alumni organizations and student organizations may use the Marks for District-sponsored or co-sponsored activities and events so long as the use adheres to the graphic standards set forth in Paragraph 4. Any other non-commercial or non-profit use of the Marks requires permission. Additionally, payment of a royalty may be required, depending on the non-profit use for which the license for the Marks has been requested.

TECHNICAL UPDATE, September 13, 2017

ADOPTED through the Administrative Regulation approval process, January 25, 2010