A survey for Emerson’s rebranding initiative was released on Nov. 12 for students, staff, faculty, and alumni to include their voices in Emerson’s new narrative identity, including a new logo and website.

The survey, released by SimpsonScarborough, a higher education consulting firm, will be used to verify information the rebranding team in last spring’s qualitative data phase. That aspect of the initiative involved focus groups and interviews with key Emerson demographics, according to Andrew Tiedemann, vice president for communications and marketing and head of the rebranding committee.

Since the survey was released last Thursday, around 700 alumni, 200 current students, 80 staff members, and 50 faculty have participated, according to Tiedemann.

The information from the survey will help Ologie, a branding agency hired by the college, focus the narrative direction of the college. The organization has already created several drafts for it—including a new website and logo for Emerson—and hopes to refine their outline based on the results. Tiedemann said Ologie will likely be ready to present their final draft in February 2016.   

The student version of the survey includes 25 questions. One asks what other schools come to mind in relation to communication and the arts. There are also word association questions, which allow survey-takers to match words associated with the college to different images and color schemes.

Several questions asked the survey-takers to rank descriptions of the college from one to 10 for accuracy, including factors of importance, such as career preparation and academic rigor, and  their investment in areas such as alumni connections and diversity. Participants were asked to input one word that they felt described Emerson. It also included demographic information about the quiz-takers. The quiz takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, according to SimpsonScarborough.  

Emily Stikeman, a sophomore visual and media arts major, said she felt it was important to ask students for input on the process.

“I disliked trying to pick words to describe the school because I felt like some of them didn’t accurately represent Emerson,” Stikeman said. “I think on the surface, yeah, but once you’re here longer—not so much.”

Tiedemann said he appreciated those who take the time to complete the survey.

“[Students who take the survey] will help Emerson sharpen its expression of its identity,” Tiedemann said. “It’s an opportunity to be involved in something that’s very important for Emerson College and for our future.”