Explore UAB

Purpose: To give guidance to students on the process for having UAB Heersink School of Medicine branded merchandise approved, created, and sold.
Office or Individual Responsible for Implementing: Office of Student Success
Applies to: All medical students, including those on LOA. This also applies to student organizations, student advisory groups, and student government. Note: These guidelines will be understood to apply to any student group or initiative that represents the school either implicitly or explicitly.

Rationale

Students and student organizations are encouraged to create and order a variety of Heersink School of Medicine-branded merchandise that represents and/or communicates pride in their group to the student body and larger school population. UAB has strict guidelines for branded merchandise, which much be adhered to by all schools and students.

Details

Creation and Approval of Merchandise
  • All merchandise must comply with UAB Branding guidelines.
  • Designs must be approved by the school's Communications Office and the UAB Marketing Office.
  • Students should send designs to the Office of Student Success. Student Success will work with both the teams in communications and marketing to get the necessary approvals.
    • Note: This process can take 1-2 weeks to complete.
Purchasing merchandise to give to students (not sold):
  • All approved merchandise must be purchased from a UAB approved vendor. This includes merchandise given to students and merchandise sold to students. The list of approved vendors can be found on the UAB Brand Toolkit.
  • The Office of Student Success can advise students on vendors that are easier to work with.
  • Merchandise that will be given to students (not sold), must be purchased via purchase order.
  • A vendor quote for the merchandise will be sent to the student. The student will forward the quote to the Office of Student Success. The Office of Student Success will create the purchase order.
    • Note: This process can take 1-2 weeks to complete.
    • Once the purchase order has been created, the student should forward this information to the vendor so shipping of merchandise can occur.
Purchasing merchandise to sell to students (not given away):
  • All approved merchandise must be purchased from a UAB approved vendor. This includes merchandise given to students and merchandise sold to students. The list of approved vendors can be found on the UAB Brand Toolkit.
  • The Office of Student Success can advise on vendors that are easier to work with.
  • All merchandise must be sold via the Student Senate website. Students may not use personal blogs, websites, or other accounts to sell merchandise.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Student Senate Communications Team to have the items placed on the website for sales.
  • Once the timeframe for sales has ended, the Senate Treasurer(s) will cut a check for the merchandise, to send to the vendor.
  • Students may wish to refer to our Guidelines for student fundraisers for additional information on selling merchandise for the purposes of raising money for the organization or philanthropy initiative(s).

Additional Information

Students and/or student groups who are found giving away or selling merchandise that has not gone through the appropriate processes listed above will be directed to stop the activity immediately and return money or items collected to that point. Students may not go through the approval process on their own, without consulting the Office of Student Success. 

History

Created: March 2018
Implemented: March 2018
Updated: December 2021
To be reviewed: December 2023

Every gift helps us make a difference

Support the critical work of our faculty, staff, and trainees so we can continue providing the highest level of care to our patients and make breakthroughs in research and discovery.