By Apryl Mock, Staff writer
and Allison Roberts, Managing editor
Southeastern will soon have a mascot, according to Alan Burton, director of university communications at SE.
Southeastern President Dr. Larry Minks said he anticipates announcing the status of the mascot by the end of the fall semester or early in the spring 2013 semester.
“We are working very deliberately and with great care through this process because we realize the long-term impact and the importance to the University community and its stakeholders,” Minks said. “The last thing we want to do is accelerate the process just to make a decision.”
Although SE will decide on a mascot, Burton said the nickname “Savage Storm” will remain.
Minks said, “Two images that we have been looking at are the horse/mustang and buffalo/bison and trying to see how they may or may not represent our Savage Storm name.”
According to Burton, the idea for developing a mascot was proposed at an SE Professional Development meeting in the fall of 2011. There were approximately 90 people at the meeting, and participants consisted of students, faculty and staff volunteers, Burton said.
He said the participants felt that student and community participation has been down since SE’s nickname changed from “Savages” to “Savage Storm” in 2006, which left the school without a defined mascot.
He said the mascot decision is intended to help increase student participation and to help students develop a sense of pride and identity.
According to Burton, several focus groups were formed to give input. Burton said that Minks has been diligent in involving many different organizations around campus.
Minks said the focus groups consisted of “students, student-athletes, faculty, staff, administration, athletic department personnel and alumni/foundation.”
The process for making the final decision has not yet been determined, Minks said, “other than the fact that we will continue to invite input and involvement from the various groups as we continue to move forward.”
Staff illustration by Ronald Fuquay
A horse and a buffalo are two images that are being considered as possibilities for the new SE mascot, according to SE President Larry Minks. A decision and announcement should be made by the end of fall 2012 or the beginning of spring 2013, Minks said.