What is it about collegiate logos and symbols that make them sacred to some, particularly those officials so motivated by profit? The University of Wisconsin is one of those schools and apparently has a soul mate in Kansas University.

Kansas University in the not so distant past spent some $90,000 to have a new letter logo developed, which mainly entailed lengthening the foot of the “K” to snuggle beneath the “U”. Apparently the Trajan typeface combo belongs to Kansas, even though Kutztown University in Pennsylvania has a very similar identification and paid a lot less than KU to get it.

Then along came a hassle about what Jayhawk was appropriate and who could use it on stationery. And, of course, there periodically are conflicts over the use of various KU identities on items such as T-shirts. Though officials say it’s not about the money, it’s about the money they get from inventive franchising.

Turns out Wisconsin also covets its main initial, W.

The Madison-based institution has pressured some 20 schools to change their logos in the past three years because they looked too much like its red “W,” which is trademarked, according to Cincy Van Mater, the WU director of licensing. What “creative genius” was able to orchestrate this charade?

The battle emerged again recently involving the Waukee school district in suburban Des Moines. The Iowa district adopted its purple and gold W 10 years ago after it was told by state education officials it should not use an image of an American Indian as its school symbol. The district’s mascot was the Warriors, so students voted to go with a Spartan Warrior.

Collegiate Licensing Co., which represents Wisconsin, told Waukee superintendent David Wilkerson that Waukee’s W is too much like Wisconsin’s. Wilkerson said his district’s initial was a combination of logos from Wisconsin and the University of Washington-Seattle. So now Waukee has to find, over the next five years, a new logo for everything from uniforms to a carved stone in front of its administration building. Otherwise, legal action has been promised.

Locally, Free State High School originally developed its now-familiar Firebird but was told it had to make changes because Philadelphia’s Temple University felt the local mascot looked too much like its Owl. Fortunately, that happened early enough that Lawrence didn’t have to undo as many things as Waukee in Iowa.

But isn’t this licensing and copyrighting jazz being carried too far? Wisconsin has simply a big block W which has even less imagination than the new Trajan KU. Why didn’t Washington complain? How many variations can there be for a block W?

It’s one thing to snatch the Kansas Jayhawk and overcommercialize it or debase it with gross variations. But a Wisconsin W, or reasonable KU and Jayhawk usage for public outreach? Surely big-time schools have more important things to attend to.

But, it’s about the money.