myBama
Communications and External Engagement

Design Approval Request

The best way to ensure your items will be approved is to follow the guidance we have provided in our Writing Best Practices, Design Overview, UA Branding and Accessibility sections of our website.

Student Life departments can submit design requests to our team, and we will assist you by providing a branding and accessibility design review to ensure your project aligns with UA and Student Life branding and accessibility requirements. Not sure if your project requires divisional approval? Check out our Visual Assets Approval Guidelines.

Turnaround Time and UA Brand Approval

Please allow 2 business days for our staff to review the project. For multiple designs or designs that extend beyond one page of content, the review process may take longer. We advise you to submit projects for review according to a timeline that will allow you to make any required edits.

UA Branding Approval through Strategic Communications is a separate process that will require proof of this divisional approval.

Please fill out this form and reach out by email if you have a particularly high volume request and/or an urgent timeline.

Design approval form

Multiple Submissions and Editable Design Files

If you need to submit multiple files in one submission, please save all the files needing approval into a OneDrive or Box folder and share the link to the folder in the Design Link field of the form.

For Canva or Adobe Express designs, please share the link to the design in the Design Link field of the form, and make sure it is set to share with Anyone and give edit privileges. If you need to submit multiple links to editable designs, please upload a word document or share a file link in the Design Link field that includes all of the design share links in one document.

Checklist for Submitters

We have collected some of the most common mistakes made on submitted items to serve as a checklist for departments to conduct before submitting items for review. 

Spell Check

Always review to ensure there are no misspelled words.

Divisional Attribution

This includes official wordmark(s), departmental icon plus words, or a URL that ends in “sl.ua.edu” on promo items where space is limited. 

Color Contrast

Check to make sure the color contrast is within required limits; the color contract checker is a helpful tool!

UA Branding

Never use orange, and don’t use houndstooth without permission.

SL Writing Best Practices

  • Correct: John England Jr. Hall
    (Incorrect: England Hall or John England Hall) 
  • Correct: The University of Alabama Student Center or when space is limited, UA Student Center
    (Incorrect: UASC, the Student Center) 
  • Correct: Ferguson Theater, Theater at the UA Student Center or Ferguson Theater at the UA Student Center
    (Incorrect: Ferg Theater, Student Center Theater, UASC Theater) 
  • Correct: Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium
    (Incorrect: Bryant-Denny, Bryant-Denny Stadium) 

Time Formatting

  • Correct: a.m. / p.m.
    (Incorrect: am/pm) 
  • Eliminate “:00.”
    Correct: 7 p.m.
    (Incorrect: 7:00 p.m. or 7:00pm) 
  • Only list “a.m.” and “p.m.” once.
    Correct: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; 7-9 p.m.
    (Incorrect: 7 p.m.-9 p.m.) 

Trademark and Registered Symbols

Many phrases and words require trademark ™ and registered ® symbols (See UA Branding or the licensed verbiage below) 

Spacing and Proportions 

  • Ensure proper spacing between words and graphic elements. 
  • Never distort or stretch wordmarks, logos, identifiers or graphics. 

URL Check 

  • Don’t use “https” or “http” on designs. Just include the link after the http/s. 
  • Never use URLs that end in “sa.ua.edu.” Instead, use the URL that ends in “sl.ua.edu.” 

Licensed Verbiage

Use these lists as a reference for which phrases and words require trademark ™ or registered ® symbols. For a full list of trademark requirements and logo limitations, review the Alabama logos guide on rolltide.com.

Requires Registered ® symbol

  • The University of Alabama® 
  • Alabama ® (as a reference for UA) 
  • Bama ® 
  • Crimson Tide ® 
  • Roll Tide ® 
  • Iron Bowl ® 
  • Where Legends Are Made ® 

Requires TrademarkTM symbol

  • UA TM 
  • Rammer Jammer TM 
  • Denny Chimes TM 
  • Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium TM 
  • Coleman Coliseum TM 
  • Big Al TM 
  • Crimson and White TM 
  • Tide TM 
  • A-Day TM 
  • RTR TM 

Item-Specific Guidelines

  • Digital signage: For divisional attribution, you may use your wordmark, your departmental icon + words or include “UA Student Life” spelled out on the design (if you need access to your official wordmarks or departmental icons, please reach out to your communications liaison).
  • Social media: Not required for submission, and we recommend not using wordmarks on social, but please check for misspelled words and follow brand guidelines, best practices and accessibility requirements.
  • Print flyers that stay internal to campus: An official wordmark is required. The Script A version of your wordmark is sufficient only if it is for on-campus use.
  • Magazines/brochures/flyers that may be used with external audiences: The UAS System wordmark and your official department wordmark that includes UA and Student Life are required.
  • Promo items: If there isn’t room for the wordmark or “UA Student Life” spelled out, then you can use the url that includes “sl.ua.edu” at the end to satisfy divisional attribution requirements.
  • Buttons/small promo items: If there isn’t room for the Script A or official wordmark or “UA Student Life” spelled out, then you can use the url that includes “sl.ua.edu” at the end to satisfy divisional attribution requirements. Trademark and registered R symbols may be required if they are legible for registered phrases or words.