A trademark is any word, name, tagline, symbol or combination of elements that identify the goods and services of one party from those of others.

Per the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: "A trademark is a brand name. A trademark or service mark includes any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination, used or intended to be used to identify and distinguish the goods/services of one seller or provider from those of others, and to indicate the source of the goods/services."

The trademark designation ™ indicates that a mark is protected, even though federal registration may not have been filed. A ® designation indicates that a mark is federally registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The following are considered protected and require a TM (™) designation:

• University of Alaska Fairbanks *
• UAF
• Nanook, Nanooks
• Nanook Nation
• UAF logo
• UAF bear

* Note that the official and legal name of this institution is the UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS. All documents or publications produced by UAF units must use this name. Do not use a comma, dash or hyphen between Alaska and Fairbanks. First reference to the institution in printed or electronic form should include the full official and legal name.

The following logos are federally registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and use either a circle R (®) or TM (™) designation depending on the usage **:

• A-bear
• ALASKA NANOOKS
• ALASKA

** Note: These three marks are reserved for official UAF Athletics usage. Please contact uaf-logo@alaska.edu for more information or to obtain permission to use athletics trademarks. Use of the athletics logo is limited to sports teams, athletics marketing communications and trademarked merchandise. The athletics logo is not available for download.

To help maintain a consistent and positive image, UAF requires all individuals, organizations, departments and companies seeking to use UAF trademarks, both internal and external, to obtain products from a vendor or manufacturer who is licensed with UAF through CLC, a licensing agent under contract with the university. Approval through CLC is required before any vendor may produce product(s) of any nature displaying UAF trademarks, regardless of the distribution method or intended use. Approval of artwork from University Relations is required before licensed vendors may produce items of any kind. Generally the manufacturer should submit the design for approval; however, if there are questions about the design, you can contact uaf-logo@alaska.edu directly.

The requirement to use a licensed vendor protects UAF in several ways. Using a licensed vendor ensures UAF's trademarks are used properly and according to UAF brand guidelines. It also helps ensure UAF receives proper compensation or royalties from use of the trademarks. Dining Services and Contract Operations maintains a current list of UAF-licensed vendors and information on becoming a licensed vendor.

Please review the UAF brand guidelines before using UAF's trademarks. All UAF logos and signature graphics need to have the appropriate trademark registration symbols. Approved UAF logos are available for download and may not be altered in any way. Contact uaf-logo@alaska.edu if you have questions about whether or not your artwork meets UAF guidelines.