North Carolina UofM License Plate - Now or Never!

Submitted by GoBlue on

 

I sent my application in months ago, but apparently we have not yet hit 300 applicants.  It's time to step up!  A regular UofM Plate (see below) is only $25.

Seriously, if Purdue can do this, how was this not finished months ago?!?

Triangle Alumni Club Website

Link to Application

From the website:
Will we show North Carolina that we are the Leaders and Best?

Hello Fellow U-M Alumni and Fans in NC:

We have set a January 1, 2013 deadline to reach our goal of getting an official U-M license plate in the State of North Carolina. If we don't have 300 paid applications by that date, we are canceling the project and returning the deposits. If you've been delaying in sending in your application and down payment, please do so before it's too late.

The application form can be downloaded here and should be sent, along with your payment, to the UM Club of Charlotte (many thanks to Tom DeVries of the Charlotte Club for agreeing to keep track of the apps and payments). The form should have all the instructions you need, but please feel free to email M-TAC if you have any questions or concerns.

UM License Plate

MGoCombs

October 18th, 2012 at 12:07 PM ^

Sweet plate. It is really weird seeing Michigan and North Carolina right next to one another. They probably had to use the logo with the text underneath, but I think it would have been better with just the block M. Either way still awesome. If I were in NC I would jump on it.

profitgoblue

October 18th, 2012 at 12:11 PM ^

Done and done.  Except not done.  How in the f--- do we not have 300 people that want these in this state, especially given the fact that there are a ton of alumni in Charlotte and RTP?

 

GoBlue

October 18th, 2012 at 10:12 PM ^

Other than Charoltte and the Triangle, I know of no other UofM alumni clubs in North Carolina.  I see a decent number of Michigan bumper stickers out in Western North Carolina, but I don't think there's any formal organization.

Yostal

October 18th, 2012 at 12:14 PM ^

It saddens me that if they can pull this off, North Carolina will have a better looking Michigan logo on their plates than the actual State of Michigan.  (I've never, ever, understood the Blue Block M in the Maize Rectangle thing that the State of Michigan has.  Wouldn't a Maize M with a blue border work better?)

MaxGoBlue

October 18th, 2012 at 2:04 PM ^

Didn't see any way to make requests, except send an email to [email protected].. they said the alumni association needs to do it. I'm not sure if there's a Texas AA.. I know there's a Houston one. Customer rep said any AA can do it.

It makes me sad.. all of the Big 12 and SEC have plates. Weird parts of the B1G also have it (Purdue, MSU, Illinois).

Louisiana Lafayette and Louisiana Tech even have Texas plates. Louisiana doesn't even have technology, but they have a Texas plate.

Edit: I just sent a mass email to all 4 alumni associations in the state (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio). Whatever the signature/deposit number necessary is, I'm sure we'll get it.

kdhoffma

October 18th, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^

I sent an email to the Houston AA club asking if they or any of the other Texas branches were looking into petioning for a plate.  I'll let you know what I hear.  If you want ot send an email as well, this is the address I have: umhouston at gmail.com

AndrewKlenk

October 18th, 2012 at 7:01 PM ^

We need more applications and associated fees. They won't process until 300 are in hand. The only alternative is introducing a bill to change the state requirement to a # under 300. I'm working that angle too but 300 would clearly be the path of least resistance.

MaxGoBlue

October 18th, 2012 at 11:05 PM ^

I've gotten responses from Houston and Dallas - the upfront deposit is $5000, with 6 months prep time.

I've suggested to them that a Paypal account or Kickstarter could be the way to cover the remaining costs that the groups themselves couldn't contribute.

Once I hear back on what they decide, I'll probably just start a new topic to let everyone know. Will keep you posted.

EricTheActor

October 18th, 2012 at 12:36 PM ^

those tags are fucking sweet. i wish California would offer something like that. i'd gladly pony up more than a few sheckles.

lhglrkwg

October 18th, 2012 at 12:36 PM ^

Delaware has a Michigan plate and it's awesome to have. If we have one, North Carolina has to have enough alumni to get it.

Althought Delaware's threshold for license plates may be 5 people and/or 10 livestock

MGoShoe

October 18th, 2012 at 1:10 PM ^

...to all y'all North Carolinians, we've had these in Virginia for several years now. You however, get the accurate Block M while we have the (when the design was approved, still authorized) Split M.

If you see VA plate [M logo] W1VRNS driving past you, that's me.

lhglrkwg

October 18th, 2012 at 1:14 PM ^

Some states only seem to offer in state plates (Michigan and Pennsylvania come to mind) but in Delaware you can get most of the regional plates (VaTech, Maryland, Penn State, etc) and a small handfull of national brands (only Michigan, Ohio State, and Purdue [of all teams]).

It may have to do with 1) the state's stance on out-of-state institutions and 2) how many alumni are willing to drop the cash to get one of those plates

I think I remember seeing Texas has dozens and dozens of university affiliated plates

EDIT: Here's Delaware's list FYI

oriental andrew

October 18th, 2012 at 1:25 PM ^

In Illinois, it's impossible to get a Michigan license plate.  The license plate law basically says state institutions only, except for non-profit private institutions in contiguous states with at least 10,000 alumni living in IL.  Otherwise known as the notre dame law, pushed through by that bastard mike madigan (he's an a** for a lot of other reasons beyond just this). 

http://mgoblog.com/diaries/ot-%E2%80%9C-nd-law%E2%80%9D-and-collegiate-license-plates

Texas also has a nice list with a bunch of schools, but no Michigan, as noted by a previous poster: http://www.txdmv.gov/vehicles/license_plates/plate.htm?id=col

My home state of Georgia limits it to in-state only, although it does appear there may be a provision to get it pushed through as a special interest plate (see UNC and USF at bottom of the page). 

http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/plates/platesamples.aspx

I wonder if the special interest route would work in IL. They're already talking about potential CORPORATE-sponsored plates (clear cash grab).  This could just open the door a bit further.

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.org/publications/ga_reports/1-Corp-DL-OCR.pdf

oriental andrew

October 18th, 2012 at 1:36 PM ^

Like I said, it looks like those (bama, auburn, florida, tennessee, others) are considered "special interest" plates, supporting things like the national alumni association or similar.  They are not "official" university/collegiate plates.  Maybe it's a distinction without a difference, but it's a big A-HA moment for me in the quest to have a University of Michigan license plate in Illinois.

Illinois' rules seem similar if you look here:

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/vsd815.pdf

IL's specialty plate rule also provides significant latitude in terms of the design. It would be TOTALLY awesome if there were University backing on this to design a specific license plate for the state of IL and have it support the alumni association or a scholarship fund (maybe for students from IL, to make it more state-specific). 

Naked Bootlegger

October 18th, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^

LIved in NC awhile back and have fond memories of driving through the tobacco fields east of Raleigh.   I would absolutely jump at these plates if I still lived in Carolina.   Sweet looking.  

I just checked Wisconsin's special plate offerings....nuthin' but in-state schools, Packers, and Brewers.  Sigh.

profitgoblue

October 18th, 2012 at 2:14 PM ^

It'll be difficult for them to get a plate in this state because burning couches is generally a frounded upon activity in NC (the self-proclaimed "furniture capital of the world").  Some people burn crosses and wear funny white outfits down here, but couch burning is not tolerated.  I think Sparty fans are going to have trouble divorcing themselves from their favorite pasttime when petitioning the NC DMV . . .

 

Hoke-ish

October 18th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^

Hearing back from grad school at Duke next month - if I get in I'll try to figure out a way to send in an application even though I won't be moving to the state until next summer.

WFBlue

October 18th, 2012 at 2:43 PM ^

I will fill out the paperwork for at least one more if I knew we were close.  My wife will just have to get rid of her precious "Friend of the Smokies" plate.