Fletcher town hall - "Rebrand" LIVE COMMENTS & QUESTIONS

Protocol 1

Anonymous Attendee 09:18 AM
Students have brought up the opacity of admin processes numerous times in the past half year. Why did the administration not learn from this? How has student feedback been integrated into decision making since previous contentious discussions regarding student involvement?
This question has been answered live

STUDENT 09:21 AM
A quick question regarding this “town hall.” Why the webinnar format? This format is distinctly separating students for the sake of pushing forward your own power — not appreciated.

Dear Students, We set up the Town Hall as a webinar. This is what we have done with all past town halls.

STUDENT 09:40 AM
In less than 48 hours from launching the Fletcher re-brand, there have been 207 comments across four Fletcher Facebook posts with 205 being negative and in protest. The two other comments were neutral. There have been 25 comments on Fletcher’s single Instagram post referencing the re-brand; 24 are negative and in protest. There have been seven quote tweets in response to Fletcher’s twitter post about the re-brand and change from International Relations to Global Affairs. A viral petition at change.org has been circulating and as of this email has 537 signatures petitioning to reverse the Fletcher re-brand. The protest is near universal and unanimous. It includes protest to 1) the change to Global Affairs; 2) the lowercase “immature” font; 3) the space-like imagery; and 4) the “awakening courage” motto that seems to have been stolen from Gretchen Lara Shartle’s book of the same title and theme https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6089109-awakening-courage. Will you reconsider?

STUDENT 09:27 AM
Why wasn't this town hall held BEFORE the release of the "new brand?"

STUDENT 09:23 AM
What was the rationale behind completely overhauling our school identity without student input, in the middle of a pandemic? Why were not informed about this change weeks in advance or given a chance to make our voices heard? Why not make this a student-involved process?
This question has been answered live

STUDENT 09:25 AM
Who viewed the finished marketing concept before they rolled it out? Who was it tested on? Current students? Prospective students? Did they only show faculty the wordmark/logo and colors or did they show them the entire website design? Did anyone see the website design before they rolled it and support the way it looked in practice?

STUDENT 09:29 AM
Can you clarify when current students were incorporated into this decison making? For example, I was part of a focus group this summer where we talked about what we liked/dislike about Fletcher and what our personal opinions were about tufts. That said, we were never given any information about a rebranding campaign or told that such changes would be taking place.

STUDENT 09:28 AM
It is incredibly disingenuous to call this a "rebranding". You changed the name of the school, and with it you disregard our history, legacy and identity. Why did you decide to undertake this campaign that NOBODY asked for, in the midle of a pandemic, in the middle of a school year, when its impossible for you to get any legitimate feedback from students?

STUDENT 09:32 AM
So why wasn’t any of this talked about BEFORE the rollout? with no buy in from the student body? Additionally like Lesley I was in a focus group where the rebrand came up (in 2 questions out of 10 total) and we all unanimously said we did not think this was a priority particularly in a pandemic. THey assured us that this was not something that would be done any time soon. Not a single thing that we said seems to have been heard or integrated. And I dont think a week of small focus groups with 2 questions about school colors is enough “participation” to warrant this change

STUDENT 09:20 AM
Can this session be recorded, please?

STUDENT 09:26 AM
Why was the rebranding necessary now though, in the midst of a pandemic? While the new degree is understandable (at least at a financial level), changing the brand/logo/colors/tagline all at one feels like erasing the school’s past/legacy

STUDENT 09:27 AM
I am going to be very honest. The rebrand is very bad and embarassing. Can we please go back to the previous branding?

STUDENT 09:26 AM
Speaking of SEO, has anyone looked at the fact that “awakening courage” mostly turns up Christian-identified content? And considered how that could be alienating to non-Christian students?

STUDENT 09:36 AM
The feedback to this re-brand has been overwhelmingly negative. If you look at alums on social media, the ration of negative reactions to positive reactions is about 100:1. Among current students, it's about 50:1. Are you willing to acknowledge this reaction and work with the students and alums to roll back these changes?

STUDENT 09:27 AM
Please address the mystery behind the disappearance of several Fields of Study

STUDENT 09:36 AM
There is significant concern about the new “Awakening Courage” moniker. How was this decided on and how does this relate at all to the mission of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy?

STUDENT 09:23 AM
We are only given an hour to address serious concerns here, could we not have had a separate meeting about COVID (which is a serious community concern, making it even odder that this is being done during the busiest class block?)

STUDENT 09:28 AM
Why wasn’t “The Fletcher School” working? What does not working mean?

STUDENT 09:32 AM
Why were stock photos of non-fletcher students used?

STUDENT 09:36 AM
Can you address the Change.org petition signed by over 500 students, alumni, and supporters urging you to reconsider this rebrand and consult in deeper form with the student body and alumni? (can be read)

STUDENT 09:29 AM
Couldn’t the rebrand be tested among students and alumni BEFORE it was rolled out? This feedback loop would have been vital to ensuring everyone was involved.

STUDENT 09:23 AM
I want to amplify that this meeting needs to be recorded for the sake of accessibility

STUDENT 09:29 AM
Thank you for your time this AM! I worry that this new branding prioritizes a commercialized understanding of Fletcher over a more appropriate international affairs branding. The “story” reads now as superficial and watered down, using industry-undefined phrases like “global affairs” and “awakening courage”. Our Fletcher “story” is much more substantive than this, and ought to be represented as such.

STUDENT 09:32 AM
Can you please indicate how you will address the widepsread, negative backlash across the Fletcher community on social media? It seems evident there was not enough stakeholder engagement and the Fletcher community is at risk of deteriorating if they do not want to associate with the new “brand”

STUDENT 09:32 AM
If this truly was a "considered process based on data and evidence " which was "significantly sampled across constituencies", then we deserve a breakdown of the sample, as Samira and Padmini mentioned. These statements are empty and meaningless without numbers. I also have yet to see any positive feedback - from current students or alums.

STUDENT 09:22 AM
Students also wanted to request that answers be as breif as possible in respect to our time and yours come the start of the Q&A

STUDENT 09:26 AM
If you want to get a better ROI on marketing, you should exclude current students from your targeted ads. I get them all of the time and it waste of the schools marketing budget. This is ad targetining 101.

STUDENT 09:29 AM
Could you please be transparent and release details around your sample?

STUDENT 09:31 AM
With regards to the new degree, could we talk about how it will be shortened to MAGA (much like the MATA and MAHA)?

STUDENT 09:25 AM
I’m probably less cynical than most about the roll out of the new program or branding. I acknowledge that every organization has to continuously innovate to stay relevant. Fixing a few facebook photos or backgrounds that look cheesy is easy. 1) what was the mechanism for feedback from the generation of young people who will actually apply? 2) there is value in the Fletcher history and artifacts that create or represent the culture we want. How are we maintaining those at Fletcher?

STUDENT 09:29 AM
1) Why not be the Fletcher School of Global Affairs? Fletcher, Graduate School of Global Affairs is a mouthful. 2) Which marketing/advertising firm was hired for the rebranding?

STUDENT 09:29 AM
It seems that you’ve centered the potential opinions of *prospective* students rather than the opinions of current students and alumni. How can you encourage people to join a community that you are actively alienating, even now in this format?

STUDENT 09:30 AM
How many individuals within student body, faculty, and alumni communities were actually consulted? Shouldn’t such major changes in brading be addressed OPENLY and WIDELY? The addressed “extensive research” does not reflect the large disapproval feeling that has spread out since the announcement was made on Monday. What struck me the most is the fact that Fletcher is or was a school of DIPLOMACY. Yet no “diplomatic” approach was EVER taken DURING THE PROCESS of making such changes. Hypocracy is the only word that comes to mind.

STUDENT 09:37 AM
Why use stock photos? Especially ones that direct you to sites like “Jews for Jesus.” Not only is it a bit awkward, we also are erasing the diversity that currently exists on campus.

STUDENT 09:31 AM
What's the next step in this "rebranding strategy" and how do you plan to incorproate current students' voices beyond symbolic focus group representation? What does this mean for our curriculum next semester?

STUDENT 03:24 PM
If we are no longer the school of law and diplomacy, why does our new logo have the legal scales - which makes us look even more like a law school than before?

STUDENT 09:21 AM
Will this meeting be recorded for the students who cannot attend this session? (Even though we know there will be future sessions, some may not be able to make any of the times)

STUDENT 09:31 AM
The reason I choose Fletcher over all other APSIA schools is because it had 24 fields of study, including the exact combinations I wanted. Why condense them to 11 fields, some of which don't even make sense. Where have fields like Environmental Policy disappered?

STUDENT 09:27 AM
Can we get a breakdown of the sample?

STUDENT 09:32 AM
Do you intend to teach a dark arts of policy making class as part of the new fields of study and curriculum now that you have demonstrated the efficacy of sidelining constituency groups, strategic scheduling, and presenting fait accompli?

STUDENT 09:25 AM
Our school, our identity, our degree, isn't a business to us. Why should we reduce the Fletcher School's entire identity to a brand?

STUDENT 09:31 AM
Describe to me Fletcher's vulnerability in detail? What specifically does Fletcher need to do to address that vulnerability, not just in the brand but also in other institutional problems like, say D&I?

STUDENT 09:33 AM
If we are no longer the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy what is the point of having a MALD degree - that is clearly no longer the flagship degree?

STUDENT 09:35 AM
I was told the MALD was a unique and powerful degree because it was full-time, two years, and in residence. The MGA would seem to me to counter each of those unique points. Why should I get a MALD instead of a MGA? What makes the MALD unique as a degree?

STUDENT 09:21 AM
If the announcements by email aren’t working in mitigating spread or effectively communicating policy change with students what other efforts are you doing to get the message out?

STUDENT 09:31 AM
How will this new marketing/branding strategy take root when your entire base of brand ambassadors, students and alumni, overwhelmingly are repulsed by these changes?

STUDENT 09:31 AM
Was there consideration given to the naming of the new degree in global affairs, as following in the MALD naming pattern reads as “MAGA,” a phrase intertwined with the Trump administration in the US?

STUDENT 09:33 AM
In any year, a change in branding would remove value from students and alumni -- simply by the adjustment, losing recognition of the Fletcher School's incredible legacy, which couuld potentially be regained in time. This year in COVID times, more than any time before, we will need to search for jobs and market ourselves online. A quality brand, website, and logo is essential to this, especially ones that point to the Fletcher School recognizably. Did the team consider how the timing of this transition compounds effects of the pandemic on students/alumni and our prospects?

STUDENT 09:35 AM
Fletcher students are currently taking classes on research and design, learning about concepts such as policy implementation with the purpose of taking these skills and applying them to real world problems. How was this brand redesign not seen as an opportunity for students to apply these skills to something that they hold near and dear?

STUDENT 09:36 AM
Is it a possibility that the administration will receive the rampant negative feedback with humility, learn from its mistakes, and walk back this rollout and be open to creating a community-led (students and alumni) change that feels authentic and reflective of the community?

STUDENT 09:39 AM
The volume and ferocity of questions here represents the absolute repression of students in the decision-making process. We have continually been silenced, kept out of any actual discussions, and told that we do not know what is best for our own education, career, or future. Why is it that our "courage" is only appreciated when it does not go against the will of the administration?

STUDENT 09:39 AM
Thank you for your time but The team built for Fletcher? They literally copied the group stock images from GOOGLE! Such is the level of professionalism? This is just sad!

STUDENT 09:39 AM
The amount of alumni pushback needs to be seirously considered- donation boycotts are being discussed, people are being VERY vocally negative on twitter, facebook, instagram - this is going to do substantive long term damage. Prospective students are looking on social media platforms to try and decide if they want to go to Fletcher (sorry fletcher) and seeing all this negative feedback and it not being adequately addressed. It is clear no substantive alumni consideration went into this. How is this being addressed?

STUDENT 09:39 AM
Who viewed the finished marketing concept before they rolled it out? Who was it tested on? Current students? Prospective students? Did they only show faculty the wordmark/logo and colors or did they show them the entire website design? Did anyone see the website design before they rolled it and support the way it looked in practice?

ALUM 09:39 AM
I am one of those alums who felt totally excluded from the process. I also do not recognize the school’s “face” anymore. Even my diploma frame is now from a school that only exists as a “legal name” but not otherwise. I am one of those calling to bring back the “F” logo and the full name. I have withdrawn my financial support and many students are also doing the same. We feel offended and disregarded.

STUDENT 09:40 AM
Im sorry I respectfully disagree the focus groups were clearly symbolic - nothing that was said was taken into account

STUDENT 09:44 AM
When my old job went through a brand redisgn, they announced it publicly, gave people the opportunity to participate in working groups, and then presented several options that were voted on by everyone in the firm. This type of transparency was nowhere to be seen. How can this lack of transparency be justified?

STUDENT 09:33 AM
Are the market research data and summary reports available for review? If not, why not do so in the interest of transparency and peer review?

STUDENT 09:34 AM
Thank you for explaining the thinking and process behind the new marketing strategy. I don’t believe I’ve heard any positive feedback from my colleagues or alumni; would you be able to summarize the positive feedback you’ve received to give us some perspective?
(you can read the question)

STUDENT 09:34 AM
How was the restructuring of the fields of study decided? Current students certainly weren’t consulted in any substantive way, but were faculty involved, and if so, at what level? Or were the new fields of study determined by a marketing agency as well?

STUDENT 09:34 AM
I heard a lot about the Fletcher brand and marketing but not a lot about the Fletcher community.

STUDENT 09:35 AM
@ADMIN, if we could follow the order, that would be great

STUDENT 09:36 AM
Please indicate where the positive feedback is coming from.

STUDENT 09:37 AM
Can you explain the decision to have a lowercase "f" in the design? Does this aim to remove our association from Austin Barclay Fletcher and if so why?

STUDENT 09:38 AM
If such a wide number of people were consulted, why have virtually all the students (including student council) and alumni been caught off guard by its debut? We are a small and tight knit community- this is an initiative that would have spread had many people been engaged.

STUDENT 09:39 AM
In a school that teaches implementation, policy design, marketing, etc. with some of the best professors and practitioners, how can you justify rolling out this new “vision” with no BUY IN (current students or alumni) and NO NOTIFICATION - just a sudden change without warning?

STUDENT 09:40 AM
A few of us have our hand up, so we would appreciate being allowed a turn to speak before the time runs out

STUDENT 09:40 AM
why are there stock photos on the website?

STUDENT 09:41 AM
If the focus groups were important to the decisions you made, can you please share the summary of the focus group feedback you received with the student body? We would love to see proof that their opinions were actually respected and not just listened to.

STUDENT 09:41 AM
The current website and landing pages look unproffesional.

STUDENT 09:34 AM
To what extent will the new fields of study impact current students (first and second years) course requirements? Will the new fields of study impact the ability to design your own field of study?

STUDENT 09:39 AM
Why did you roll this out without an explanation? Especially condensing the fields of study. We spent the last few days worried that our fields have disappeared and our education track might have changed. It was just so unnecessary to cause this panic during a time where we’re already on edge. Was this reaction not considered?

STUDENT 09:39 AM
Given that this appears part of a strategy, what other changes is the school considering?

STUDENT 09:42 AM
will old merchandise be available at discounted rates?

STUDENT 09:42 AM
On Surveys—Why didn’t the school send a massive survey on this? Isn’t it what students have to do when giving feedback on classes/seminars/panels? Why forgo this mechanism in face of such major undertaking?

STUDENT 09:43 AM
One simple question: Does the administration have any intention at all of incorporating student opinions? Or are we to continue this facade of inclusion?

STUDENT 09:43 AM
how did awakening courage happen? it makes us sound like a pyramid scheme

STUDENT 09:45 AM
I am concerned that this redesign is being discussed as a foregone conclusion. Students and alumni have significant concerns, and do not appear to have been consulted in a meaningful, coordinated way. Youi have mentioned that “students were a part of this research.” Can you please clarify how many and through what method students and alumni were consulted BEFORE this roll out occured? This is an important baseline for us to understand the legitimacy of expressing any continuing concerns.

STUDENT 09:34 AM
Unfortunately, this change has now made Fletcher look as if it is trying to be a SAIS, SIPA, SFS rather than a unique alternative and academic peer of these institutions. Was this the intention?

STUDENT 09:37 AM
Why has so little information been shared with existing students about the quieter change of fields of concentration? (can be read)

STUDENT 09:38 AM
What are avenues/options to incorporate some of the strong negative feedback from current students/alums about the rebranding? It would be good to get a sense of next steps with these in mind.

STUDENT 09:43 AM
Marketing and Analytics? Please check the Facebook page...The page admin had to change the profile pic 3 times just to avoid negative comments... We have no idea what marketing strategy are you talking about?

STUDENT 09:43 AM
How much was the main Tufts University involved in this rebranding process?

STUDENT 09:44 AM
You keep referencing student feedback, but it seems like a main issue is that students do not feel that they had the opportunity to give feedback, the fletcher MO. Could you clarify what “student feedback” means, and at what point it was asked for?

STUDENT 09:45 AM
Realized I didn’t include a question....To what extent did this team of individuals have industry background in foreign affairs? Their word choice indicates very little to no industry experience, and is thus of great concern.

STUDENT 09:45 AM
Who knew about this transition from the beginning stages? When did the admin know? When did faculty know? When did select alumni and students know?

STUDENT 09:45 AM
I specifically came to The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy because of what it stands for and means to so many of us, in great part because of its name and history. It is what makes us stand apart in a crowded market of schools of “global affars.” Apart from being disheartened about the timing and the process, changing the name of the School is not rebranding to me, it is a complete change of the School and our identity (and without our input!).

STUDENT 09:33 AM
It would be great if you could release the market research

STUDENT 09:33 AM
If the goal was to create brand uniqueness and move away from brnad confusion, which I imagine was partially based on confusion that we may be a law school, why go with the plain scales of justice?

STUDENT 09:35 AM
I would like to personally ask Dean Kyte why this decision was made during COVID while students were away from campus.

STUDENT 09:38 AM
Given the strong pushback from current students and alumni, how do you still expect their support to promote the new identity across platforms? - You can read it out for me.

STUDENT 09:42 AM
The current Facebook cover photo has more angry reacts than likes. Is this the marketing strategy you are aiming for?

STUDENT 09:42 AM
Could you please explain why you are not asking questions in order of upvotes, as those are clearly the questions students are most interested in?

STUDENT 09:42 AM
I feel completely disconnected from this school

STUDENT 09:43 AM
Please answer one of the many questions students have asked about the lack of student engagement in this process. The talk about all the "student feedback" you allegedly got is strange when none of us have been involved in the process and can't seem to find anyone who was.

STUDENT 09:48 AM
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy is the school's legal name and will remain on our diplomas. Isn't the changed name confusing? Especially for employers verifying our degrees?

STUDENT 09:49 AM
The fletcher around the world section of the website highlights the complete lack of africa specific classes in an area of the website that is meant to highlight regional focus. Additionally, the descriptions mention events that are years out of date, completely contradicting the intended message of region-specificity being translated into immediate action. Is this the final version of this part of the website?

STUDENT 09:33 AM
We are looking forward to the Q&A.

STUDENT 09:36 AM
Has the social media team seen the feedback from alumni?

STUDENT 09:36 AM
Please share with us the “clear data” which you are continually referencing. We have come to this meeting with hundreds of petition signatures, and I think we would all appreciate a bit more transparency, even at this late stage.

STUDENT 09:41 AM
I would like clarification between being part of a data set and actively participating in a major insititutional shift.

STUDENT 09:41 AM
Can you please explain how the administration believes that this abrupt "rebranding" will encourage donations to the Fletcher Fund? (can be read)

STUDENT 09:41 AM
What consulting company did that team work for?

STUDENT 09:42 AM
These are all different issues - website, financial viability, brand identity, name.

STUDENT 09:43 AM
Will student voices be heard in this webinar or will it just be a discussion justifying this choice to us?

STUDENT 09:44 AM
Is it too late for y’all to receive a refund?

STUDENT 09:44 AM
Can we ask these questions directly? Why will Dean Kyte not look at us face to face? Why no video?

STUDENT 09:44 AM
Is that a joke? Students had no idea this was even happening

STUDENT 09:45 AM
We are the marketing focus group! Current students HATE this

STUDENT 09:46 AM
I have read through the public comments on the new brand change and have been unable to find more than a couple (out of over 100) that are positive. In light of this broad scale negative public feedback of how the design looks, how it is worded, and how it has been rolled out, is the administration considering pausing and reassessing the vlaue of this initiative?

STUDENT 09:49 AM
You have very clearly erased many specific fields and combined Gender with Every Type of Intersectionality. This aggregation is useless if students now go and build their own fields because they're dissatisfied with the combination of, say, Human Security and Humanitarian Response, two very different topics.

STUDENT  09:49 AM
Will the change.org petition be addressed? There have been 545 signatures in only a matter of days - clearly this is representative of the fact that extremely few students and alums were actually consulted.

STUDENT 09:51 AM
Bold? The FONT...The Tagline...Copy Paste Images from Google? ... I am sorry but 2 people out of 100 endorsing the brand does not mean it is a positive feedback*

STUDENT 09:51 AM
Orange is the least of our concerns

STUDENT 09:51 AM
It is so much deeper than that Dean Kyte. I don’t think you are in touch with the student body at all.

STUDENT 09:53 AM
New students should have known about this “re-branding” when We were considering enrollment in the spring.
It would have impacted my enrollment decision.

STUDENT 09:53 AM
The new branding isn't "bold," it's tacky. The stock photos, the "awakening courage" tagline, the bizarre outer space photo, the navy blue that looks just like georgetown, johns hopkins, and columbia - all look like they were thrown together at the last minute and doesn't differentiate us from other IR schools. It makes us look classless and isn't going to age well, and there has been overwhelming feedback that this isn't the right move for the Fletcher school. I am deeply disappointed in this administrations complete lack of willingness to listen to student feedback, which has been demonstrated clearly in this town hall.

STUDENT 09:53 AM
I’m curious about the timing of this and the amount of money that was spent in the midst of having to provide education in an unprecedented way. Some of the classes I am cross registered in at other schools have significantly better tech and professors who have been trained in how to teach in a remote way. What was the decisions to prioritize the rebrand over improving the resources Fletcher professors have to teach in the current climate.

STUDENT 10:33 PM
If this is such a good idea why is no one happy about it?

STUDENT 09:37 AM
Why was Steven Runciman removed from the marketing team despite his extremely relevant specialty?

STUDENT 09:43 AM
Where did this feedback come from?!

STUDENT 09:44 AM
Who is personally responsible for “Awakening courage” we need answers

STUDENT 09:44 AM
People like us are completely turned off by the new website—if we are your target audience, the tagline, font, stock photos, and space theme look incredibly sloppy, cheap, and basic. It is unlikely that it will attract students of the same caliber in the future

STUDENT 09:47 AM
Based on social media comments & internal discussions, it is clear none or very few current students nor alums were consulted ahead of the rebranding. How do you plan to address concerns that have been put forth?

STUDENT 09:48 AM
This has been seriously, seriously mismanaged. I have not seen almost ANY positive feedback, and that includes alumni and academics who have earned their PhDs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. I think that the Dean should draw the appropriate conclusions about her role and future given the blowback.

STUDENT 09:48 AM
Where did Development Economics go? A field that is recognized by organizations world wide?

STUDENT 09:49 AM
One of the three policies you mention in your video and email is nuclear nonproliferation. Currently, there are no professors that focus on that. Do you plan to hire a professor who can address this issue?

STUDENT 09:50 AM
Why is the F not capitalized? Is “fletcher” not a proper noun now?

STUDENT 09:51 AM
The rebranding will not attract prospective students, which appears to be the intent behind this major change, because anecdotally speaking, the website makes it seem as if this is not an accredited institution. Was this the intention? It certainly is the impact.

STUDENT 09:51 AM
Again look at the FB analytics

STUDENT09:51 AM
One of the three policies you mention in your video and email is nuclear nonproliferation. Currently, there are no professors that focus on that. Do you plan to hire a professor who can address this issue?

STUDENT 09:51 AM
With different legal and brand names visible on diplomas, online, and how we market ourselves, don’t you expect even more brand confusion?

STUDENT 09:53 AM
Why are questions being answered selectively rather than going down the list of questions with the most votes?

ALUM 09:55 AM
I have honestly heard enough. I have not seen a single positive comment here. Please correct me if I am wrong. The Dean is totally addressing the very essence of the concern. This is offensive. Again, I am withdrawing financial support and call for the Dean to take full responsibility and consider resignation.

STUDENT 01:04 PM
The MIB degree is a unique aspect of Fletcher - no other IR graduate hosts a business degree. Marketing the MIB from the school of Law and Diplomacy is much easier than marketing it from the school of Global Affairs?

STUDENT 03:26 PM
Is development economics still a field?

STUDENT 02:30 PM
What is sustainable development?

STUDENT 09:33 AM
Who was surveyed?

STUDENT 09:38 AM
Will the change of fields of study affect current students who had selected courses based on the earlier fields of study?

STUDENT 09:38 AM
Thank you for giving us this explanation. I am very interested in the new MGA program, and believe it fits my needs better than MALD degree. What opportunities do current students have to potentially switch programs ?

STUDENT 09:46 AM
Please expand on the defense of that decision.

STUDENT09:46 AM
Intent does not equal impact and this has dealt a negative impact on the student body, this has yet to be acknowledged

STUDENT 09:46 AM
I say again, if this was so widely tested and consulted, and in the interest of remedying the opacity... can we review the market data and research reports?

STUDENT 09:47 AM
I think a few of our peers have their hands raised - could we hear from them?

STUDENT 09:47 AM
Second this idea
Why has the “economics” been taken out of Development Economics

STUDENT 09:47 AM
Yes! Let’s see the reports

STUDENT 09:48 AM
then where is climate and energy?

STUDENT 09:48 AM
I don’t think Dean Kyte understands that this is more than anger or frustration... it is rage on behalf of students and alumni

STUDENT 09:48 AM
Changing the fields of study, website, brand and name of the institution has left many of us feeling like the floor has been pulled out from under us all at once. Can you explain why all of these, rather monumental, changes were made all at once in the middle of a (remote) semester without notice?

STUDENT 09:49 AM
To echo the above, please explain why generic stock photos were used on the website instead of Fletcher students?!?!

STUDENT 09:49 AM
What kind of student do you envision targeting with the new branding and how are they different from the current composition of students and alumni?

STUDENT 09:49 AM
Did the alumni selected have to sign NDAs?

STUDENT 09:50 AM
Can students please ask questions directly?

STUDENT 09:50 AM
Which alumni? How many?

STUDENT 09:50 AM
what does bold mean here?!

STUDENT 09:51 AM
At least, the school should take a pole whether over 50 percent of students suppport the new rebranding.

STUDENT 09:52 AM
How is branding commentary ever not emotional?

STUDENT 09:52 AM
Have we realized that our signature color is now the same as multiple other top 5 programs in this field

STUDENT 09:53 AM
What specific metrics pointed to The Fletcher School's lack of competitiveness?

STUDENT 09:54 AM
Can you please explain the rationale behind "Awakening Courage"?

STUDENT 09:54 AM
I look forward to urging prospective students to apply elsewhere. I wouldn’t want them to deal with an administration that doesn’t care about them and prioritizes profit over educating world leaders!

STUDENT 09:54 AM
Did you believe the school was viable in the long term without a rebrand?

STUDENT09:55 AM
Does how faculty (there are 3 you mention) sign a letter really matter?
Also, you haven’t explained the process. That is not true.

STUDENT 09:55 AM
Please stop saying "continuing to engage the student body"

STUDENT 09:56 AM
Can you please tell us more about how you “consulted with the student body” because you did not

STUDENT 09:56 AM
Have you considered how this rebrand will affect the legacy of the school? You mention that this strategy was more for attracting perspective students. What about alumni and graduates? How do you see this affecting aumni networks

STUDENT 11:35 PM
How do you know these marketing firms are "right?" What is being done to improve the actual quality of the school?

STUDENT 10:27 PM
Question: Were the marketing firms engaged owned by any foreign governments?

STUDENT 01:02 PM
Do we get to ask Questions?

STUDENT 10:29 AM
Also STUDENT has something to say^

STUDENT 09:43 AM
WHat will you do with our feedback moving forward?

STUDENT 09:46 AM B
But none of them were students?!

STUDENT 09:46 AM
Who did you test this with? What dates? How many students?

STUDENT 09:46 AM
Impact > Intent

STUDENT 09:46 AM
Student Council was not consulted and has told us as much

STUDENT 09:46 AM
Not the intent to be opaque but yet being opaque...

STUDENT 09:47 AM
what is the standard of review???

STUDENT 09:49 AM
Is the university exerting financial pressure on Fletcher to compel them to cleave closer to the fold?

STUDENT 09:53 AM
Please show us the RESULTS OF THE SURVEY... Thank you

STUDENT 09:53 AM
There will be an additional issue here because current students will refuse to use the new brand!

STUDENT 09:54 AM
Yes.... how much of our money (re: tuition increase during a pandemic) go toward this?

STUDENT 09:54 AM
Why awakening courage?

STUDENT 09:55 AM
Why didn’t wasn’t the negative feedback considered? Instead, the administration decided to go with what it had already settled on. And again, I think surveying members of the Fletcher community was a key step on this process. Fletcher is not solely composed of adminsitration staff—it seems that the most important part of this community was overpowered and disregarded.

STUDENT 09:56 AM
Why were stock photos used? Images used on the new website can be found by googling “diverse students” or “group people”

STUDENT 09:57 AM
Yes please address the offensive stock photos!

STUDENT 09:57 AM
What was the price tag of the rebranding process? How much was spent on market research, consulting, and redesigning the branding and website?

STUDENT 09:57 AM
For the rebranding to work, students and alumni have to accept and align their usage with the new verbiage. How is the rebranding going to be successsful if it is rejected in favor of the older name/brand by the vast majority of stakeholders?

STUDENT 10:34 AM
https://fletcher.tufts.edu/academics/courses/fields-study/development-economics

STUDENT 09:55 AM
One of the three policies you mention in your video and email is nuclear nonproliferation. Currently, there are no professors that focus on that. Do you plan to hire a professor who can address this issue?

STUDENT 09:56 AM
How will this brand change increase penetration with employers, especially those who are confused and dubious about the value of a Fletcher degree? If we are concerned about enrollment, improving exit opportunities would have a much greater impact than changing our brand.

STUDENT 09:47 AM
Yes you have

STUDENT 09:56 AM
How is the new degree program going to impact the ability of MALD students to take classes next year? Will additional classes be offered, or will there be restrictions on class size?

STUDENT 12:29 PM
The petition had over 500 signatures.

STUDENT 09:58 AM
Exactly — STUDENTS have organized and often with very limited suport.

STUDENT 09:58 AM
Did the market research team find that more students enroll at schools which have google stock photos on their home page with a bunch of generic words applicable to even kindergarden schools ? Just curious if they conducted a RCT