in a name

How University of Miami’s Education Geeks Stole From the Gays

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At first glance, does the above logo from a college publication make you think you’re about to flip through the campus gay-straight alliance newsletter to find out about upcoming socials? Or that you’re receiving a mailer from the college’s education school with words from the dean and a note about upcoming programs? Well it’s the latter — but the University of Miami’s gays doesn’t want anyone getting confused, so they’re demanding the School of Education change things up.

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Spectrum is a new quarterly email newsletter from UM’s School of Education. But UM’s campus gay group, uh, also shares the name (spelled “SpectrUM”). And they had it first, in 2000.

The education geeks thought they were being clever by including “UM” in the newsletter’s name, as well as “spec,” which is the department’s “theoretical model.” But the gays thought of it first, and they want you to give it back. ‘Cause, like: “Some of the students who are on the verge of coming out and want to contact someone” might call the education school by mistake, according to “Dr. Marilyn Neff, associate dean of communications for the School of Education, who met with group leaders.”

So the School of Education agreed to change the newsletter’s name. It will now be dubbed Perspective, and ensures confusion between the School of Education and prospective students.

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