My khakis went to Harvard
That was the splendid headline atop a Chronicle of Higher Education blog item taking note of Harvard's much-discussed gambit to raise money by entering into a licensing agreement with a clothing company to sell a "Harvard" line of sportswear. (See the Globe article.)
Laurie Fendrich, a professor of fine arts at Hofstra and the author of that blog entry, went on to mention other licensing arrangements that certain universities may wish to consider:
BRANDEIS: Postcards from the Rose Art Museum, only blank so you can fill in your own work of art.USC: special wallets for parents of athletic recruits that can hold large sums of untraceable cash.
SMITH & MOUNT HOLYOKE: Since the old saying is "Smith to bed, Mt. Holyoke to wed," thong underwear available from Smith, and high-collar, Victorian bridal gowns from Mt. Holyoke.
THE U.C. SYSTEM: The Dumpster-Diving Diet Book for surviving on much, much less money.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS: Disposable cell phones for applicants for admission that connect directly to his or her state legislator's office with the push of one button. [You need to be up on your academic-scandal news to get this one.]
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY: Software for printing your own M.B.A. degree. [ditto]
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY: Decals of "The" in a variety of fonts and colors that you can add to the college decal of your choice in order to make that school seem more important.
UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX: Franchises to sell courses door-to-door, like Mary Kay or Amway, and Cadillacs with the UP logo on the door for the top salespeople.
COLORADO: Ward Churchill ponytail scrunchies.
Also, Fendrich says Harvard needs to think even bigger: "They need to move to licensed tattoos that say, 'I went to Harvard,' plastered either across the forehead or just above the buttocks. It'll save conversation time and best of all, avoid all that hinting."
(Photos: Robert Mitra)
