Students at Mansfield have launched a campaign against the College’s plan to secularise its traditional branding.A Facebook group, ‘Save the Mansfield Crest’ has been set up in protest at the suggestion that Mansfield’s iconography be altered. Within two days it attracted 214 members and messages criticising the idea that the current college shield, which sports three crosses, should be changed in any way.According to Katie Moore, the Mansfield student who created the group, a new design would be issued on official college correspondence. She has also said, “Some members of the SCR would like the crosses to be removed and to change the Latin text [on the shield]. One proposal is to replace the crosses with unicorns, [since] our crest has a unicorn on the top.”Mansfield MCR voted by a majority of 88% on Monday to keep the current design, and the JCR is set to vote on Monday. Students and staff at the college have also been signing a petition against any alterations of college branding.Moore questioned the need for change and pointed out that alumni have not yet been consulted on the proposals.She said, “I think that it is important that alumni are kept informed of changes to the college. This topic has been discussed in the past and from what I could gauge then, there was strong support to keep [the original iconography]. The alumni should have been asked properly about this, and my group goes to show that they do care a lot and have started to email the development office. “Personally, I do not want to see the shield changed at all. The college has its roots in theology and you can’t change history. I am also a member of the boat club and our kit and blades have become very distinctive in recent years – this all revolves around the crosses on the shield,” she said. Mansield have issued the following statement: “A question was raised as to whether the shield’s Christian symbolism might be seen as in any way excluding those of other faiths or none. The views of the JCR and MCR have been particularly solicited. A decision will be taken at the Governing Body meeting in eighth week of this term whether to revert of the existing shield or introduce any variation. This will take account of all the views expressed.”
by Chris Baraniuk
Students at Mansfield have launched a campaign against the College’s plan to secularise its tr
