Corporate Identity

Should a university have a corporate identity?
Of course it should have some identity, a logo and so on, but what about guidelines, styleguides? Should they be strict? And how strict should they be? For instance, should different faculties be able to have a different identity? (Well, actually, they do. But can you notice?)

Large companies usually have large styleguides. Most of them are books (folders, so they are extendable) with already too many pages (300 pages is no exception.....). Examples that I know of include IBM, Apple, Microsoft, but also the city of Groningen (Netherlands).
Up until now, I hated those. The larger the styleguide, the more I hated it. And I still do. But I did find one that I actually like! The reason: it's smart & it's small! And it's the MTV's Identity Guidelines. Thank you, people at MTV, for your insight, for showing the world that it really is possible this way.
Read more about it at http://www.lifeclever.com/a-styleguide-for-people-who-dont-like-styleguides, it's an interesting article. And they do have more: http://www.lifeclever.com.

How is this at the NHL (Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden, or: NHL University of Applied Sciences)? Well, I suggest you look at their site and try to find out which studies are exciting, which are dull, and so on. Good luck!