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SIMON FRASER
UNIVERSITY
S.06-28
Vice President
University Relations.
Tel: 604/291.5005
Fax:
604/291.5225
E-mail: gill@sfu.ca
MEMORANDUM
TO:
?
Dr. Michael Stevenson, President and Chair of Senate
FROM:
?
Warren Gill
DATE:
?
February 21, 2006
SUBJECT: ?
Revised Coat of Arms
FOR INFORMATION
Simon Fraser University was granted a coat of arms (the University crest) in 1965 by the
Scottish heraldic office of the Court of Lord Lyon in Edinburgh at the request of our first
president, Dr Patrick McTaggart-Cowan. The coat of arms is the principal symbolic element of
the visual identity of Simon Fraser University as such crests are widely recognized to represent
universities.
S
The Canadian Heraldic Authority was established in 1988 to create new coats of arms and to
register coats of arms that were created outside Canada prior to 1988. SFU has not registered
the arms that were granted in 1965 with the CHA. Symbols created or registered by the
Canadian Heraldic Authority can be granted special protection under the Trade Marks Act
against unauthorized use.
As part of our
40th
anniversary celebrations, it was suggested that we request that the
Canadian Heraldic Authority officially grant a coat of arms, flag and badge to SFU.
The original coat of arms was based upon that of the Frasers of Lovat, from which Simon
Fraser was descended. In creating the coat of arms for SFU the Lord Lyon of the time chose the
Lovat shield and in an effort to differentiate it from the family crest added a 'chief' or upper
part that included an open book and two crosslets. The crosslets were derived from the
Macdonnell family arms simply because Simon Fraser and a key ancestor married
Macdonnells, and their presence has implied that SFU is a religious institution.
After internal discussion and consultation with the Chief Herald of Canada, it was suggested
that coat of arms be revised to better represent the secular, diverse institution we are today. A
revised design was requested as part of the granting process. As a result, it is proposed that
with
the two
three
crosslets
open books
in the
in
original
the 'chief'
be eliminated
symbolize knowledge,
and replaced
are
with
parallel
open
in
books.
form
The
to the
new
three
arms
?
•
strawberry flowers and crowns of the Lovat shield, and can be seen to represent our three
campuses. The difference from the original is minor, but symbolically important as we move
forward as an institution. The new coat of arms is central to the process of creating a new,
uniform visual identity for SFU that is currently being studied by a committee and consultant
team and which will be brought forward for consideration later this year.
I recommend that the revised coat of arms and flag, as shown in the attached preliminary art,
be approved by the Board of Governors and that this proposal be forwarded to Senate for
information.
42
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