There are new rules at Kansas University that bar the beloved Jayhawk from appearing on the business cards and stationery of most employees – except those in the athletic department and the alumni association.

But in the case of KU professor Chris Anderson, some rules were meant to be broken.

He’s drawn up his own business cards with the Jayhawk on them, and he plans to use them.

“Lew Perkins can come pry them from my cold dead hands if he wants to take them away from me,” said Anderson, associate professor of business. “What’s he going to do? Come confiscate my computer?”

All KU employees will be getting new stationery and business cards as the university implements a “visual identity” overhaul, which took months to plan and cost $88,900 for the development of a new “KU” logo in Trajan font. KU is in the process of changing over stationery, cards, Web pages and other items.

David Johnston, KU marketing director, said the Jayhawk, a fun symbol of spirit, pride and tradition is fitting for the athletic department and alumni association.

The “KU” signature chosen for the academic side of the university was more fitting for its use, he said.

“The purpose is to use the most appropriate tool in each instance,” he said.

Christopher Anderson, associate professor in the School of Business has a Jayhawk logo on the back of each of his business cards. This flies in the face of new KU standards that place the beloved Jayhawk only on the business cards and stationary of those in the athletic department and the alumni association.

The Jayhawk can be used in other academic situations, such as on banners, but just not on stationery and business cards.

The changes mean many employees who once opted to have the Jayhawk on their business cards will have to change their ways. It’s a rule that’s ruffled some feathers and left others simply laughing.

KU employees used to be able to make choices about their business cards, opting for a Jayhawk or the university seal, for example.

Anderson said the Jayhawk card was a good conversation starter in some circles.

When Anderson ran out of cards, he couldn’t wait for the new cards to roll out, so he had an assistant draw up some. He has the imagery on his computer, he said. If he writes a letter of recommendation, he plans to use the Jayhawk on it. Anderson called the rules ridiculous.

“Images are first,” he said. “Are words next? And could thoughts be far behind?”

KU alumnus David Schoech, a 1982 graduate of the pharmacy school, said he learned about the rules when attempting to make up nameplates to give to graduating seniors. He tried to get a recent, but not brand new, pharmacy school logo on the nameplates. That logo included the Jayhawk. KU officials barred him from using the logo, Schoech said, and he ended up paying $50 to use the Jayhawk image on the nameplates. Schoech said he thought the athletic department was being a bit of a bully.

“In this case the little schools that make up the bigger university are just getting stomped by the big boy on the block,” he said.

Johnston rebutted the claim that the athletic department was responsible for the changes.

“The assumption that athletics has greater stake or ownership or investment in the Jayhawk versus the institution is just false,” he said. “It’s just false.”

Some took the rules in stride.

“That’s funny,” KU business professor Paul Koch said of the new business card standards. “That’s more amusing than concerning to me.”

Maria Carlson, professor of Slavic languages and literatures, and Eve Levin, associate professor of history, said they wouldn’t miss the Jayhawk business cards.

“We’re strictly seal people,” Carlson said of the cards that feature the KU seal. “I think we’d be more affected if we were forced to use the Jayhawk.”