Friday, December 29, 2006
SFU is Going to Hell in a Handbasket
University drops crosses on coat of arms
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 | 1:59 PM ET
CBC News
Simon Fraser University is getting rid of the two crosses on its coat of arms, saying they
sent the wrong message to international students.
The Burnaby-based university is replacing the crosses at the top of the coat of arms with
images of open books.
A spokesman for Simon Fraser University says the two crosses on the 40-year-old coat of
arms creates 'confusion.'
Warren Gill, SFU's vice-president of university relations, said the crosses created the
wrong impression.
"For some people, particularly internationally, the crosses were seen to identify us as a
private religious institution as opposed to a secular public one, and a lot of our
international folks were getting that back.
"If our name was the University of Burnaby, it probably wouldn't have conveyed the
same thing, but named for a person it caused some confusion internationally."
Gill said the new coat of arms will still have the Fraser shield, in honour of explorer
Simon Fraser.
He also said the old symbol will remain on the university's buildings.
The current coat of arms was approved in 1965.
The new design has been in the works for 18 months, said Gill, and is expected to be
approved by the Canadian Heraldic Authority by May.