University, MS—
FAST FACTS:
- U of M abolished long time Col. Reb mascot in 2003
- School proposes new mascot
- Students insist on campus vote
dennis.turner@wreg.com
(University, MS 2/23/2010) University of Mississippi students voted today 74-26% that their school needs a mascot of some sort.
The school hasn't officially had one since 2003, so administrators posed a question to students of whether to get a new mascot, or continue without one.
For years, Colonel Rebel was the caricature of the University of Mississippi.
Then, over the last decade or more, the school began to shed all its traditional symbols of the old south in a bid to update its image.
But it never seemed to matter to students. "Not to me, I really, if they want it they can keep it, " said Sam Kisle-Ab of Atlanta.
Years ago, the administration banned the Colonel from official school functions, and wanted to replace him.
It's a debate that continues today with strong debate on both sides.
"It's gonna change our whole tradition and culture and everything about our whole school and that's the whole reason a lot of us came here." said student Chris Blundell.
Students demanded a say, and got the chance for an on-line vote.
But administrators insisted Colonel Reb was not an option.
Students could choose to look for a new mascot, or continue without one.
This isn't the University's first time to vote on Colonel Reb. They did it back in 2003 with two proposed mascots drawn by a New York ad agency.
The school suspended that vote and continued without a mascot, something with which a lot of students and alumni disagreed.
"I originally came here to play football and fell in love with the school, fell in love with the whole atmosphere and I think if they change the mascot then what else are they gonna change?" said Adam Armagost.
And that seems to underlie a lot of the feelings here. "I just think it should be up to the students instead of the administration." "So you don't care which way it goes as long as the students decide?" "Yeah," Kisle-Ab.
Student government leaders will now choose a "mascot committee" to propose new options.
Here's something that's not widely known: No matter what Ole Miss comes up with in the future, the school still owns the Colonel Reb trademark. So either way, the school will continue to make money off a mascot it says publicly, it doesn't want.
