Our Logo
The DeCal Logo is the creation of Christina Cho, an Architecture Graduate Student, when she was on the DeCal Board during the Fall 05 semester with input from the entire board. Inspirations were taken from the events that occurred at the time.
The shape of the logo is akin to a light bulb which symbolizes the classic eureka moment. However, that same shape can also be interpreted as a question mark. We try to stress the belief that human beings must continue to question their reality in order to acquire knowledge and achieve personal growth. The philosophy behind DeCal underscores the importance of pursuing a passion by answering our own questions. Therefore, the questions that we ask have a significant bearing on the ultimate understanding of ourselves and our community.
Another chief feature of the logo is the world map in its backdrop. One of DeCal’s strengths is the breadth of the topics discussed in each semester. For example, at the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, the students mobilized themselves to form a special 1-unit course that focused on the incident and provided support for relocated students from New Orleans. The DeCal Program’s ability to cover issues that are not regularly addressed in departmental or major curriculum lends its credibility among students, faculty and its supporters. DeCal’s coverage of topics is broad, current and extensive, unmatched by any departments at UC Berkeley. This is because most departments contribute to the DeCal program in their course sponsorship. Thus, facilitators from different disciplines pool their efforts together to explore relevant subject matters. The map embodies that inherent outward-looking characteristic of the program.
Finally, the design also evokes the sense of belongingness to a community and tolerance. The silhouettes represent peoples but they have taken an organic form. The results are androgynous features which are meant to deemphasize the individual differences that set people apart and recognize their common humanity. The DeCal Program is about learning from and growing up with each other. The DeCal model of learning suggests that knowledge should spread horizontally and flow from one student to another and back to the facilitator. In the logo, the peoples represent the power of the collective force.
This war, in which I played so ineffectual a part, has left me with memories that are mostly evil, and yet I do not wish that I had missed it. When you have had a glimpse of such a disaster as this – and however it ends the Spanish war will turn out to have been an appalling disaster, quite apart from the slaughter and physical suffering – the result is not necessarily disillusionment and cynicism. Curiously enough the whole experience has left me with not less but more belief in the decency of human beings.
George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia
Updated September 26, 2006.