It’s probably odd to read a piece about the Dartmouth Pine in 2024, already six years after the new logo was introduced to give Dartmouth a standardized “visual identity.” Bear with us: we think that the issue of the D-Pine and the seal is central to Dartmouth’s identity and the future of the institution. We argue that Dartmouth must formulate a version of its historic seal that can stand honorably and ethically next to the shields and crests of the Ivy League, instead of a corporate mask which degrades the history of our institution and masks its injustices.
While the D-Pine is a nice logo for a corporate brand, it is an embarrassment to have it represent Dartmouth’s history, legacy and traditions as one of the oldest universities in the country. A quick scan through our peer institutions reveals an unbearable contrast: other schools are represented by centuries-old university crests, while we are stuck with the banal graphic design of a New York consulting firm. The contrast reflects reality: the D-Pine was commissioned as a business decision for a brand-conscious administration.
Though the administration claims the design was motivated by such grand principles as Dartmouth’s “sense of place” and “the liberal arts,” we believe the rationale was less respectable: a top-down administrative decision made to sell Dartmouth better, hence why it caught many by surprise when the announcement was handed down on a Monday morning. The D-Pine feels far from a symbol of a storied academic institution and closer to that of a marketing firm.
Nonetheless, we fully recognize that the historic crest is problematic. By depicting two Indigenous individuals in a subject position to the enlightenment and civilization of the College, the crest perpetuates stereotypes of Indigenous peoples as savages and barbarians. Harmful as the old seal is, its replacement with the new corporate logo does nothing but sweep this shameful history under the rug.
Given this context, we argue that the old crest should be altered and updated, in consultation with both the local Abenaki Indigenous groups and the Indigenous students here at Dartmouth, as well as the broader student community. Though the D-Pine may be the easy way out, it is perhaps the most objectionable — hiding our injustices under a corporate veneer of political correctness while actually doing nothing to address their ongoing consequences.
All this is not to say that the D-Pine was adopted with negative intent. While we acknowledge that the D-Pine and its related symbols may have an important role to play in shaping Dartmouth’s media presence and brand image, we object in the strongest terms to the recent administrative trend to position the D-Pine as a new seal of sorts for the College. It is impossible not to notice. Wherever you look, you will find the D-Pine in situations which would ordinarily call for the use of the university seal: on senior thesis, outside the admissions office, flying on the flag outside the Green. Yet, as the College first emphasized when the logo was introduced, the D-Pine’s place should be as a graphic design logo for more modern university engagements, especially online.
For official functions and important ceremonies, a new seal based on the old crest must be in use. The Dartmouth community deserves to be represented by symbols in continuity with the institution’s heritage and traditions, designed in active dialogue with all stakeholders, and especially the Indigenous communities in the Upper Valley and at Dartmouth. This issue strikes at the heart of Dartmouth’s identity and future, and must not be taken lightly.
Is the administration up to the task of consultation? Who knows. Still, we believe in the power of the Dartmouth community to hold our leaders accountable for how they present us to the world, and we hope that the administration will listen.
We cannot overstate how important we believe this issue is for the future of Dartmouth. A logo shows what the school is and what it stands for. Dartmouth is certainly not the D-Pine, which conveys nothing more than a corporate identity aimed at banal modernism unfitting for a college older than the United States itself. Dartmouth must create a seal rooted in its centuries of history and tradition, while simultaneously engaging with the uncomfortable and unmarketable aspects of its history.
This will require change, but it must not entail complete erasure; at this critical juncture in the story of Dartmouth, we must save the seal for a new generation.
Opinion articles represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
