For 20 years, the UW’s student union has served the student population under the name, Federation of Students or affectionately known as, the Feds.
This year, Feds members decided that a rebranding is necessary to continue serving students.
“There is a lot of ambiguity with the name Federation of Students, and while it reflects the time when we were formed, that connection is no longer obvious,” Michael Beauchemin wrote in his announcement on June 7.
“Our name should clearly reflect what we are and who we serve, two challenges we often have to overcome with the Feds brand,” he wrote.
Feds may officially be known as the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), which is one of the potential new names.
A full name change will be launched in Fall 2019, along with a new logo. This change accompanies a new long-term vision for putting students at the centre of decision-making processes.
Feds plan to introduce themselves to the incoming first years with their new name and logo, which will present for Orientation Week.
Beauchemin stated in his announcement that the goal is ultimately to connect with students and to better reflect their needs and wants.
“This rebrand is about more than just a visual change: the goal is to better reflect what you want to see from us through a brand that connects with students in a more meaningful way,” Beauchemin wrote.
“We are also taking this as an opportunity to align our brand with a long term vision for the organization that puts students front and center in decision-making,” he wrote.
Consultations with students concerning the name change are ongoing.
Students are also being consulted on the logo change.
Focus groups will be conducted over the Spring 2019 term, and online forums are available to provide feedback as well.
For information regarding the rebranding or to sign up for a focus group, visit www.feds.ca. To contact Michael Beauchemin, email pres@feds.ca.
