"The following description of the University of British Columbia's institutional Coat of Arms is from the Grant of Arms issued by the College of Arms on September 23, 1915:

"Argent three bars wavy Azure issuant from the base a demi-sun in splendour proper, on a chief of the second an open book proper edged, strapped and buckled Or inscribed with the words TUUM EST Sable." (Calendar 2009/10)

Figure I

Legend (A) Argent (B) three bars wavy Azure (C) demi-sun in splendour proper (D) chief of the Second (E) open book proper (F) Edged Or (G) Strapped Or (H) Buckled Or (I) Inscribed with the words TUUM EST Sable.

Tinctures (colours) Argent: White/Silver Azure: Blue Or: Gold Sable: Black

Figure I is an extract from the Coat of Arms as depicted at http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/coat.html

N.B. the TUUM EST is rendered not Sable but Sable and Gules, or Red.

Trademarks

Item	Trademark	Applicant
I	Appl. No. 0902482 Filed 1987-01-21	THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 2194 Health Sciences Mall Room 331, I.R.C. Building Vancouver V6T 1W5 BRITISH COLUMBIA
II	Appl. No. 0912984 Filed 2001-02-23	THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 6328 MEMORIAL ROAD VANCOUVER, V6T 1Z2 BRITISH COLUMBIA
III	Appl. No. 1305576 THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Filed 2006-06-15	THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 6328 MEMORIAL ROAD VANCOUVER V6T 1Z2 BRITISH COLUMBIA

For trademark III, the "wares" associated therewith are "Novelty items...Stationery supplies and printed matter...Wearing apparel and accessories...Pet clothing and pet leashes [and] Jewellery." 

Canadian Intellectual Property office's website says that index headings "identify all word components of the trade-mark."  For trademark I, the text is indexed as "CUUM EST" and not "TUUM EST."  This is the same for every other trademark contaning the book, which is simply wrong.  Further, the UBC bookstores no longer appear to sell any items with the arms rendered properly; trademark I, for example, is the mark used on frames made to hold degrees.

What is the purpose of such?  Inquiries at the University are given different answers: if it is a clerical staff member, they do not know, and they are helpful to direct one to someone who may know.  If it is that someone to which one was directed, the instant answer, indeed, almost too quick, is "that's a typo."  Anyone not in a clerical position has given this answer; well, that's not fair.  To be honest, a Community Relations officer gave a surreal answer: "welcome to Wonderland." 

Curiouser and curioser, then, that alternative spelling would be adopted; could it really be that the learned counsel who assisted in applying for the trademarks made such typographical errors?  I should hope that at least one of them could count The University of British Columbia as his or her Alma Mater; would such a one not know the motto of his own school?  Would no one looking over the papers have noticed?  Further, the caligraphy of the first letter, be it "T" or "C" is very clearly different from the red "T" upon the 1915 grant, presuming that is a "T" and not yet another "C".

it appears as though prior to the current armature there was at least one previous iteration involving the Union device of Great Britain and Ireland in Chief instead of a book proper &c. &c.   A picture will be put up when available.

One early translation of the motto TUUM EST is not the literal "[it] is yours" but a more figurative "it's up to you."  What is up to you?  Possibly to notice things; of course, who has time to notice armature when there's so much nice beer to drink and so many fun, head-injuring sports to play?