"Our attorneys have recommended that in order to protect ourselves against unauthorized uses of the Harvard name...we try to register all trademarks that are not president and fellows as president and fellows," Calixto says.

Harvard registers its name and all academic programs that bear the name under the president and fellows of Harvard College in an attempt to make it easier to identify misuse of the trademark or name.

But should other organizations using the Harvard name--such as the Harvard Law Review or the Harvard Lampoon--start to register separately, problems could be created.

With all Harvard trademarks licensed to the University, all new applications for a trademark on the name "Harvard" would raise red flags.

Now, any time another group tries to register a name with "Harvard" in it, Harvard's trademarks office is notified.

And so, to centralize Harvard's trademark rights, the University plans to ask Harvard clubs and organizations to allow Harvard to register their names for them, and then let them use their own names forever, free of charge.

"It's so a third party can't drive a wedge between us," Calixto says.

In exchange, the University will use its legal muscle to fight all trademark battles for the groups.