Wichita mayor candidate Lyndy Wells apologizes after using WSU logo on campaign flier

Wichita State University said Wednesday that it does not endorse candidates for elected office, after voters were mailed campaign fliers with a photo of mayoral candidate Lyndy Wells juxtaposed on a WSU logo.

The mailer also displays a version of the WSU Tech logo. Wells is chair of the WSU Tech board of directors.

“Wichita State University and WSU Tech don’t endorse political candidates or allow the use of their names, logos, trademarks, facilities or other resources for political purposes,” WSU said in a news release.

Wells said Wednesday evening that the unauthorized use of the logos was a mistake.

“Obviously I had, we had a group of people putting together this information,” Wells said. “We believed that the work that I’ve been doing was worthy of sharing with the voters.

“We made a mistake. I acknowledge that. What’s done is done but we’ve discontinued any other reference to that and will not use it through the rest of the campaign.”

The flier emphasizes Wells’s work as chairman of the WSU Tech board.

WSU Director of News and Media Relations Joe Kleinsasser said the university was alerted to the flier when someone emailed to ask if it was ethical. He said the mistake is “easily understood.”

“It’s certainly fine to be proud and tout what you’re a part of. It’s just becomes an issue with the logo,” Kleinsasser said.

WSU policy states that, “Use of the University’s name, letterhead, logo, trademarks and/or resources . . . for partisan electoral purposes . . . is strictly prohibited.”

Wichita’s Aug. 6 mayoral primary, which will narrow the field of nine candidates to two, is a nonpartisan contest.