As UCCS continues to advance its strategic priorities, University Communications & Marketing is building on that momentum through efforts that support enrollment, elevate the UCCS brand and strengthen our connection with campus and external audiences.
The following updates highlight several initiatives that are enhancing our marketing and communications impact, including a new organizational alignment, the launch of a major web transformation initiative, and enhancements to our visual identity.
Auxiliary Marketing
The Auxiliary Marketing team will officially become part of the University Communications & Marketing Team effective July 1, 2026. Justine O’Neil, Director of Auxiliary Marketing, and Jina Fagerburg, Marketing Manager, will report directly to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of University Communications & Marketing, Megan Silvey.
The Auxiliary Marketing Team will remain focused in the areas of on-campus marketing, supporting the auxiliary services such as Public Safety, Dining, Residence Life and others. Aligning more closely with the University Communications & Marketing team will ensure that on-campus marketing is consistent with the larger marketing strategy.
Web Transition
One of the key action items of the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan is to “modernize the UCCS website to function as an enrollment driver.” Supported by funding from the CU Foundation, the UCCS Communications & Marketing teams, the Office of Institutional Technology and Enrollment Management are kicking off a strategic enrollment and marketing digital transformation initiative, aiming to accomplish exactly this goal.
Based on recommendations from subject matter experts in each area, UCM, OIT and EMSA leadership selected the partner that could deliver the greatest return on investment based on the project’s key strategic objectives. EAB, our current partner in admissions marketing, will be our partner in this initiative, which will span three years.
Key objectives for this initiative will be to:
- Improve our visibility with AI agents and results in AI Overview, particularly in areas where UCCS is noteworthy, e.g., Innovation
- Identify opportunities to improve enrollment pathways and our ability to track and monitor conversions at each step
- Develop dashboards that reflect an integrated, enrollment-focused approach to monitoring KPIs
- Refine and implement page-level content strategy
The EAB team will be working with Web Services, University Marketing, Strategic Communications, Brand & Design, with input from Admissions, Enrollment Management, and the Office of Strategic Initiatives, and will be providing regular reporting on key milestones and measurable outcomes reached.
Awards
The UCCS Not If. When. campaign recently earned two awards at the national level. The campaign, created with Greenhouse Partners, won Silver in the category of Campaign – Educational Institution for the Telly Awards and Silver in the category of Total Advertising Campaign for schools with 10,000-20,000 students in the Collegiate Advertising Awards.
Visual Identity Enhancement
As of July 1, 2026, UCCS has added a CU mark to our brand standards and is recommending its use when possible. As we shared in April, there are several advantages to using a CU mark, but we recognize there are valid reasons to continue using UCCS in some places. The Brand Website has been updated with the new logos and content.
For official university business, the CU mark is strongly preferred, though name tags, business cards and email signatures may still use either mark. For less formal uses, like on-campus events, swag, etc., the CU mark is preferred, but the UCCS mark is acceptable.
You may also remember from our April message that we’re continuing to explore and solicit feedback on additional marks this fall, in partnership with athletics, to provide more options for our collective use across a wide range of applications.
A note about ordering swag and merchandise: all licensed vendors are required to comply with our brand standards and submit things to licensing for approval – licensing and brand are part of our marketing team. If orders are submitted with the UCCS mark, depending on the scope and duration of the purchase, our team may ask questions or send a recommended alternative for consideration. If an alternative is acceptable, the original will appear to be “denied” which allows new or updated artwork to be used. If you believe something has been denied in error, please reach out to the brand team.
Please review the frequently asked questions below and reach out to the brand team at [email protected] with any other questions. We also encourage you to sign up for the Brand & Design newsletter.
Is UCCS changing its name?
No, the university will still be called the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, in alignment with the other CU campuses – University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver, and University of Colorado Anschutz.
Is UCCS changing its acronym?
No, UCCS will continue to be used as the acronym for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Will UCCS go by another abbreviation?
No, the university will not use an abbreviation of Colorado Springs (CS) alongside CU or any other abbreviations. UCCS remains an acceptable acronym.
Is this a rebrand?
No, this is not a rebrand. The existing elements of the university branding will remain the same – there is just an additional mark being added.
What is changing?
Beginning July 1, 2026, an additional university mark featuring the interlocking CU will be added to the visual identity standards. This mark aligns more closely with the University of Colorado System and may be used in situations where that alignment creates a position of strength for the university.
Will use of the new mark be required?
No, the new mark will be available for use, but it will not be required.
Are any existing logos or marks being retired?
There are currently no plans to remove, retire, or discontinue any existing university logos or marks. The current UCCS mark will remain part of the university’s visual identity standards.
Will departments and colleges have to replace existing materials immediately?
No. Feedback from the campus community made it clear that the timing is not right for an expensive or large-scale implementation effort. The university is not requiring immediate replacement of existing materials solely because of this update.
Will signature extensions (department/office/program logos) be updated to include the interlocking CU?
There will not be any new signature extensions with the new CU mark.
Do I still need to include the CU System mark on materials?
No. When the new mark is used, the additional CU System co-branding mark that lists all CU campuses will no longer be required.
Will athletics or spirit marks change?
No decisions have been made regarding athletics or spirit marks. During the fall 2026 semester, the university will invite campus participation in the development and evaluation of additional marks, including a coordinating short mark and potential athletics and spirit marks.