University threatens Nonstop
By Diane Chiddister
Antioch University last week threatened to take legal action against
individual Antioch College faculty members who are involved in Nonstop
Antioch unless the faculty members agree not to teach in a program that
includes ‘Antioch’ in its title.
“As you know, Antioch is a well-established and well-respected
business that has developed a reputation based upon its educational
services,” Attorney Melanie R. Martin-Jones wrote to individual
faculty members, stating that the names Antioch and Antioch College
are registered trademarks that are protected by law.
The faculty’s use of the Antioch name in Nonstop Antioch, according
to the letter, “is likely to deceive the public with respect to
Antioch’s trademarks and associated services and dilute the distinctiveness
of the well-known Antioch marks and logos. The unauthorized use of Antioch’s
valuable trademarks will cause confusion and improperly benefit you
to the detriment of Antioch.”
Seventeen Antioch College faculty members received the letter, from
Martin-Jones of the Columbus firm of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur,
last Wednesday and Thursday. The letter told them that, to avoid legal
ramifications, they needed to give written assurances that they would
discontinue all “unauthorized use” of the Antioch mark and
logo, no later than Tuesday, April 15.
Nonstop Antioch is a new effort by a group of college faculty, staff
and students to keep the college going even after it closes on June
30, if it does close. The faculty had planned to offer college courses
in venues off campus, and were working to find ways to house students
in local homes. An article about Nonstop Antioch was printed in last
week’s News.
On Tuesday, Antioch College faculty lawyer Evan Price of Columbus wrote
a response to the university attorney, stating that faculty members,
“in the spirit of cooperation,” agreed not to offer classes
using the name Nonstop Antioch.
“The faculty is not conceding that they shouldn’t operate
under that name, but they are agreeing not to,” Price said in
an interview Tuesday. “They have a good argument that they are
the faculty and should use that name, but given the available resources,
they believe that this is not a fight they want to have. Apparently
the university is willing to have this fight notwithstanding its financial
troubles.”
According to Ellen Borgersen, acting president of the college’s
alumni College Revival Fund, which had pledged $1 million to the Nonstop
Antioch effort, Nonstop Antioch will continue as an advocacy group but
will not, at this point, offer educational services. The scope and direction
of Nonstop Antioch is “a work in progress,” she said, and
faculty, staff, students and alumni are continuing to define it.
Reached by phone on Monday, Martin-Jones stated that she has no comment
on the case. Antioch Unversity Chancellor Toni Murdock and Board Chair
Art Zucker chose not to comment due to an information “embargo”
this week about the college situation due to the upcoming meeting between
the university trustees and the Antioch College Continuation Corporation,
according to university spokesperson Lynda Sirk this week.
Contact: dchiddister@ysnews.com
