A former administrative employee is behind an ongoing lawsuit that alleges UVM is using her logo design without compensation, according to a May 15, 2024 complaint filed with the Vermont District Court.
Sophia Boyages, former administrative assistant to the Director of Athletics, designed the logo independent of any involvement from UVM or the Athletic Department, the complaint stated.
Boyages, who studied graphic design at Denison University, was not responsible for design in her role and was not obligated to share the design with UVM or its athletic department—she did so in hopes of a promotion or compensation, the complaint stated.
The design, which was debuted by UVM Athletics on April 19, 2023, depicts a front-facing, yellow and green Rally Cat head. It appears on a multitude of athletics merchandise, like stickers, hoodies, t-shirts, baseball caps and more.
The design has also been used as wall signage in the Gutterson Fieldhouse, affixed on media microphones, used in various Instagram profile photos for athletic teams, paid advertisements and on University letterhead, according to Exhibit 4 of the complaint.
The design was not derived from any existing Rally Cat logos, the complaint stated.
Boyages is arguing that the University was not entitled to her design, as her contract did not include an intellectual property clause, the complaint stated. She is seeking monetary relief for the alleged infringement, the complaint stated.
The University cannot comment on pending litigation, said Adam White, spokesperson for the University, in a Jan. 13 email.
Copyright infringement is “the act of unlawful copying of material under intellectual property law. It is an act that interferes with the right of intellectual property ownership,” according to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University.
UVM registered a color version of the logo on Sept. 17, 2024, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. An application for a black and white version of the logo is still pending, according to the USPTO website.
Boyages registered her design, referred to as “SophCat” in the lawsuit, with the United States Copyright Office on Dec. 15, 2023.
The University financially benefited from the use of Boyages’ design, the complaint stated.
“UVM has paid millions of dollars, in the past, for University logos, and is now using the SophCat Design as a University logo for free,” the complaint stated.
The University spent $145,650 on a new primary logo and brand positioning in 2024, according to a March 21, 2024 Cynic article.
Boyages’ attorneys, Loletta Darden and Marcya Betts, said in a Jan 16. email that they did not wish to comment on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit is ongoing, with the last known filing taking place on Dec. 5, 2024.
