Post by Okwes on Apr 14, 2008 13:11:56 GMT -5
_www.reznetnews.org/news/070426_mascot_
(http://www.reznetnews.org/news/070426_mascot)
University Dismantles Redmen Nickname
Posted: May 01, 2007
By Amanda Stone
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.-More than 1,000 things will change to successfully switch
Northeastern State University's nickname from the Redmen to the Riverhawks.
The marquee outside the University Center must go. Everything in the campus
bookstore with Redmen, gone. Even the Redmen pencils are out. Every sign,
every folder, every T-shirt, anywhere the Redmen roamed the Riverhawk must now
fly.
"It's a massive undertaking if you think of everywhere the Redmen is," said
Sharron Stauss, purchasing agent for the university. "You can't hardly find
anything without Redmen on it. It's got a lot of history in this area."
Because of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's 2005 move to
eliminate the use of Native American mascots in postseason play, Northeastern
State President Larry Williams decided last May that it was time to retire the
Redmen. To make the change possible the university had to do a complete campus
overhaul.
And Tuesday was a big step in that transformation. The "Riverhawk Reveal"
drew a crowd of more than 400 people to see the unveiling of the university's
new logo. Signs promoting the event littered the campus with sayings such as
"Be the first," "A little bird told me" and "This bird's gonna fly."
"Anytime we can, we want to include the new logo," said Neal Weaver, vice
president of university relations. "We want to instill a sense of pride when
people see our Riverhawk."
The cost of the change has yet to be calculated, but one of the departments
hardest hit will be the athletic department, which will have to redo the Jack
Dobbins Fieldhouse.
"The basketball court is out for bid right now," Stauss said. "We're going to
have to sand it down to completely level, paint on the new logo and put on
lines, but it is in need of desperate work anyway."
The cost to do a similar job on the court 10 years ago was approximately
$16,000, Stauss said.
With 10 teams and 230 student athletes, saving is going to be a big issue.
Next year if each athlete purchased only one home suit and one away suit that
would be 460 new uniforms.
"We're trying to incorporate some cost savings," said Eddie Griffin, athletic
director. For example, some old Redmen uniforms have been stripped of their
logos and names and will be used during practices.
But in some sports such as football, baseball, softball and golf, student
athletes will require other items-such as helmets, hats, visors and bags-that
cannot be reused because they are decorated with the wrong mascot or logo.
With about 82 football players, 31 baseball players, 18 softball players, and a
handful of golfers, that would require more than 200 pieces of new equipment.
But for some teams, only jerseys and shirts will be replaced, and instead of
ordering all new helmets the old ones will be repainted or have a new decal
affixed to them. Griffin said.
"All of our teams will have the appropriate logo or monikers," Griffin said.
"All signage will reflect where we're at. It should be a point of pride of
where we are."
For the campuswide changes, the university sought help. Last July, the campus
purchasing department sought a consultant who could help select a new
mascot, design new graphics, and develop a marketing strategy for on campus and the
community.
"In this situation we aren't limited to the lowest price," Stauss said. "We
stopped with Rickabaugh Graphics. They came highly recommended, and they could
meet our needs."
For $20,760 Rickabaugh Graphics of Gahanna, Ohio, signed a contract in
October to create Northeastern's new logo and mascot. The agency has created logos
for organizations including the NFL, NHL, Big East Conference, Ohio State
Buckeyes, Vanderbilt Commodores, Wisconsin Badgers, Connecticut Huskies, Seton
Hall Pirates, and many other colleges across the country.
"I hope this is something we can use for another 82 years," said Weaver, the
vice president for university relations. "It will be well worth the money."
Since President Williams announced a change would take place, emotions have
been running high. The Redmen nickname has been a staple of NSU since 1924.
Alumni fought hard to keep the Redmen, as did students, including many of the
2,750 Native Americans who make up 30 percent of the student body of 9,575.
Nevertheless, Williams formed a University Mascot Task Force, which sought
public input for the new nickname.
Six mascot finalists-the Riverhawks, Riverwolves, Wolves, Thunderhawks,
Thunderbirds and War Eagles-were narrowed down by the task force from more than
450 suggestions made by students and alumni. Anybody connected with the campus-
students, staff, faculty, alumni-could then vote in an online election, and
on Nov. 11 the Riverhawk was announced the winner.
"We understand the emotions involved and how hard it is to change," said Eric
Rickabaugh, owner of the graphics company, at the Riverhawk Reveal. "Every
school has its sources of pride, but when you can change something like that
to something we can also be proud of, the process has been successful."
And the bird has successfully taken flight.
"Did I want to see the Redmen go? No. No one did," Stauss said. "But we're
all going to be Riverhawks next year. You can either be for it or stay against
it, but I'm going to say `Go Hawks.'"
(http://www.reznetnews.org/news/070426_mascot)
University Dismantles Redmen Nickname
Posted: May 01, 2007
By Amanda Stone
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.-More than 1,000 things will change to successfully switch
Northeastern State University's nickname from the Redmen to the Riverhawks.
The marquee outside the University Center must go. Everything in the campus
bookstore with Redmen, gone. Even the Redmen pencils are out. Every sign,
every folder, every T-shirt, anywhere the Redmen roamed the Riverhawk must now
fly.
"It's a massive undertaking if you think of everywhere the Redmen is," said
Sharron Stauss, purchasing agent for the university. "You can't hardly find
anything without Redmen on it. It's got a lot of history in this area."
Because of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's 2005 move to
eliminate the use of Native American mascots in postseason play, Northeastern
State President Larry Williams decided last May that it was time to retire the
Redmen. To make the change possible the university had to do a complete campus
overhaul.
And Tuesday was a big step in that transformation. The "Riverhawk Reveal"
drew a crowd of more than 400 people to see the unveiling of the university's
new logo. Signs promoting the event littered the campus with sayings such as
"Be the first," "A little bird told me" and "This bird's gonna fly."
"Anytime we can, we want to include the new logo," said Neal Weaver, vice
president of university relations. "We want to instill a sense of pride when
people see our Riverhawk."
The cost of the change has yet to be calculated, but one of the departments
hardest hit will be the athletic department, which will have to redo the Jack
Dobbins Fieldhouse.
"The basketball court is out for bid right now," Stauss said. "We're going to
have to sand it down to completely level, paint on the new logo and put on
lines, but it is in need of desperate work anyway."
The cost to do a similar job on the court 10 years ago was approximately
$16,000, Stauss said.
With 10 teams and 230 student athletes, saving is going to be a big issue.
Next year if each athlete purchased only one home suit and one away suit that
would be 460 new uniforms.
"We're trying to incorporate some cost savings," said Eddie Griffin, athletic
director. For example, some old Redmen uniforms have been stripped of their
logos and names and will be used during practices.
But in some sports such as football, baseball, softball and golf, student
athletes will require other items-such as helmets, hats, visors and bags-that
cannot be reused because they are decorated with the wrong mascot or logo.
With about 82 football players, 31 baseball players, 18 softball players, and a
handful of golfers, that would require more than 200 pieces of new equipment.
But for some teams, only jerseys and shirts will be replaced, and instead of
ordering all new helmets the old ones will be repainted or have a new decal
affixed to them. Griffin said.
"All of our teams will have the appropriate logo or monikers," Griffin said.
"All signage will reflect where we're at. It should be a point of pride of
where we are."
For the campuswide changes, the university sought help. Last July, the campus
purchasing department sought a consultant who could help select a new
mascot, design new graphics, and develop a marketing strategy for on campus and the
community.
"In this situation we aren't limited to the lowest price," Stauss said. "We
stopped with Rickabaugh Graphics. They came highly recommended, and they could
meet our needs."
For $20,760 Rickabaugh Graphics of Gahanna, Ohio, signed a contract in
October to create Northeastern's new logo and mascot. The agency has created logos
for organizations including the NFL, NHL, Big East Conference, Ohio State
Buckeyes, Vanderbilt Commodores, Wisconsin Badgers, Connecticut Huskies, Seton
Hall Pirates, and many other colleges across the country.
"I hope this is something we can use for another 82 years," said Weaver, the
vice president for university relations. "It will be well worth the money."
Since President Williams announced a change would take place, emotions have
been running high. The Redmen nickname has been a staple of NSU since 1924.
Alumni fought hard to keep the Redmen, as did students, including many of the
2,750 Native Americans who make up 30 percent of the student body of 9,575.
Nevertheless, Williams formed a University Mascot Task Force, which sought
public input for the new nickname.
Six mascot finalists-the Riverhawks, Riverwolves, Wolves, Thunderhawks,
Thunderbirds and War Eagles-were narrowed down by the task force from more than
450 suggestions made by students and alumni. Anybody connected with the campus-
students, staff, faculty, alumni-could then vote in an online election, and
on Nov. 11 the Riverhawk was announced the winner.
"We understand the emotions involved and how hard it is to change," said Eric
Rickabaugh, owner of the graphics company, at the Riverhawk Reveal. "Every
school has its sources of pride, but when you can change something like that
to something we can also be proud of, the process has been successful."
And the bird has successfully taken flight.
"Did I want to see the Redmen go? No. No one did," Stauss said. "But we're
all going to be Riverhawks next year. You can either be for it or stay against
it, but I'm going to say `Go Hawks.'"