The University of Western Sydney’s vice-chancellor, Barney Glover, has had to defend the changing of the institution’s logo and name after a social media uproar. 

As we reported last week, students are not impressed that the University of Western Sydney is changing its name and logo. Students are that annoyed they’ve started a #savethebirdcampaign on social media.

Glover defended the new name and logo as visually stronger and he was confident the look would be embraced.

“It reflects the fact that as an institution we’re changing,” Glover said.

“We’re looking outwards from our region as well as being very committed to it locally and it’s in that context that Western Sydney University emerges, our new colour emerges, our new logo emerges. Hopefully we’ll see that resonating in our region for many years to come.”

The rebranding has been in the works for two years and the process included extensive consultation with students, staff and stakeholders, Glover said.

The change.org petition against the rebranding has 2,388 supporters. The petition argues: “We call upon the University of Western Sydney to abandon its proposed re-branding, and to keep the current name – University of Western Sydney, and to scrap the hideous proposed design for the University logo.”