Some Faculty Members are trying to get rid of the Crusader & Change the Mascot..

[valpo64]

When discussions about team name/mascots come up, it seems to me the only people who benefit from these controversies are the ones looking for a change to satisfy some kind of ego thing.  If people are offended it is their fault.  Some people get their jollies on some of these social change issues and in most cases it appears that they are the only ones that get a kick out of a change.  I wonder who has complained about our "Crusader"?   I believe the only thing team names and mascots are good for are athletic team identities...nothing more.  I guess some people like to make mountains out of ant hills and tout what a '"do-gooder" they are.  So be it.  To me these type of changes are not worth the time, money, or effort that are put into it.  In fact, it's getting kind of old.  There have to be much more important things in life than worrying about what a team's nickname or mascot is.  GO CRUSADERS!

[Vinny]

If you're going to discuss Valpo's branding/logos, I'd be more interested in ditching the bathroom colors than the mascot or nickname.

[FWalum]

I do not look at the mascot issue as an issue of available faculty time as much as a potential negative visibility issue at a vulnerable time. Regardless of your position on this, consider what happens if Valpo announces a mascot name change. The announcement certainly appears on ESPN's website....which is not likely to be that big of a deal. However, what happens if a media outlet on either side of the political spectrum decides to make a story out of this? Students and faculty on both sides of the issue are shown in a manner that draws eyeballs to the media outlet, which may portray a false narrative about Valpo (e.g., there are massive protests at the university, students/faculty viciously disagree with each other). This negative portrayal of the university, regardless of your position, dissuades prospective students from considering the university...in which case everyone loses (see the University of Missouri for an example).

And those in favor of the change will weaponize the current climate and situation to get what they want when perhaps they should be looking at the positive side of the word crusade or crusader. This excerpt about Rosalind Franklin, "the forgotten heroine of the race to unravel the mystery of human DNA is to be honored posthumously as part of a Government crusade against sexism in science". More recently the media seems to think the word crusader is perfectly fine when it describes the exploits of the notorious RGB.  "Justice Ginsburg was a real-life superhero: a beacon of hope, a warrior for justice, a robed crusader who saved the day time and again".

The "b" definition in Merriam-Webster actually states the following:
b: a person who makes an impassioned and sustained effort to bring about social or political change
human rights crusaders
an anti-government crusader
Black women lawyers early on were in the forefront of the civil rights struggle. Many women attorneys were crusaders for the poor and needy ...

After my interaction with the Student Senate President this summer, I would think they could really get behind our mascot based upon the above definition.   

The dictionary also says that the first known use of the word was in 1742, so this was not a word actually used at the time of what we now call the crusades.

[valpopal]

Have others received an email from the university sent to the Valpo community with a survey to complete about calls for removing the Crusader mascot and nickname? The survey certainly exhibits a lack of objectivity or neutrality. Given the introduction to the survey and the wording or options in some of the questions, it clearly appears the intent is to dispose of the Crusader. For example, one question asks if you consider yourself "a Valpo person" or "a Crusader"; however, you cannot be both. In fact, the subtly persuasive phrase "disposition of the Valpo mascot" is included as a goal in the survey preface. None of the questions or any parts of the introduction make respondents aware of the large cost or practical complications such a change would involve at this time of financial difficulty for the university. Such information could be useful for those supplying answers. The survey preface also uses wording that seemingly seeks to influence respondents by implying anyone who does not wish to cancel the Crusader likewise does not desire to be welcoming of all:

"Throughout the country, there has been much discussion about the appropriateness of various building names, statues, and mascots. Likewise, various Valparaiso University constituencies have raised concerns about the Crusader being Valpo's mascot, given its frequent association with the Crusades and our desire to be welcoming to people of all faiths and backgrounds."

[vu84v2]

I also received the survey. I just thought that it was a poorly written survey. I don't disagree with any of your examples, but on the other hand there was a question that asked something like "what do you think of when you think of the Crusader?" Five answers were, in varying ways, positive and one was very negative. Questions like this skew the responses away from the negative, since most anyone could answer positive to one of them.

To anyone completing the survey, I would encourage you to write your comments to clearly articulate your position. I am not a fan of the Crusader mascot/nickname, but I also feel that this is not right time to push such a divisive issue.

[hailcrusaders]

I received the email and filled out the survey. The tone was not lost on me, but I did get the sense that the survey was meant to be more of a "what are your perceptions of the nickname" rather than "should we change the nickname" (though that may be some folks' intent). Hence the lack of questions pertaining to cost, alumni donations, etc.

Personally, I will be candid about this: "Crusaders" is the only nickname for VU I plan to ever recognize. I understand and appreciate VU's inclination to be inclusive of folks of all religions. I graduated not-too-long ago with some classmates in my major who were of the Islamic faith. They are good people, and if they had a problem with the nickname, the never vocalized it. The anti-"Crusaders" sentiment seems, at least to me, to be a vocal minority speaking up "on behalf" of others, and frankly I don't think that that should be how big decisions on such matters are made. If VU wants to make an effort to be more inclusive of Islamic students, I'd suggest supporting student Islamic student organizations, offering courses on the Islamic faith, etc. There are options here that are more practical than changing the nickname and will make a bigger difference to the day-to-day lives of actual students at the university. In my mind, the nickname is not really all that different than having Lutheran chapel services on campus, serving bacon at the Union, etc.; an element of university life that will not serve all religions, but that's okay because it isn't forced on anyone. No one is making students buy Crusaders apparel or identify with the nickname any more than Notre Dame students are forced to identify as Irish (which most of them are not), or Northwestern students as Wildcats (none of them, at least to my knowledge, are actual wildcats).

If we are concerned about perceptions, as FWalum mentioned, I guess I wouldn't mind rebranding "Crusaders" to its so-called "second definition": "We are Crusaders for truth", "Crusaders for knowledge", "Crusaders for justice", etc. And if that means doing away with the mascot and rebranding the logo a bit to mollify the PC crowd, I guess I'd be willing to make that sacrifice.

Money, as has been mentioned, is another big issue here. Rebrands are expensive, and the more we change, the more money it's going to cost, and the University isn't exactly overflowing in cash right now. And I wonder how many deep-pocketed alumni are fond of the nickname...

[valpopal]

I also received the survey. I just thought that it was a poorly written survey. I don't disagree with any of your examples, but on the other hand there was a question that asked something like "what do you think of when you think of the Crusader?" Five answers were, in varying ways, positive and one was very negative. Questions like this skew the responses away from the negative, since most anyone could answer positive to one of them.

To anyone completing the survey, I would encourage you to write your comments to clearly articulate your position. I am not a fan of the Crusader mascot/nickname, but I also feel that this is not right time to push such a divisive issue.

I saw the multiple answer question differently. By asking a question with five possible positive answers and one negative, the positives are spread and their impact watered down, allowing the negative to stand out as the answer achieving the highest number of responses, a common tactic, a form of push polling. It is similar to a situation where more than one candidate from the same team is up for an award and they split the votes permitting another to win. In any case, open-mail surveys are poor choices as tools for making a decision, since the body of respondents are self-selecting and the results are skewed to activist constituencies that coordinate a mass response, as the Coalition to Retire the Crusader is currently doing at their Facebook page with their organized campaign to flood the university with hundreds of similar survey responses opposing the Crusader mascot.


The university has been phasing out the Crusader for years now, and the Faculty Senate voted unanimously in the fall to remove the Crusader mascot. Aware of the organized response from the coalition above, the university is hoping to use the results of this survey as a final move forward toward eventual elimination of the Crusader. I am told the current administration plan is to announce an action next month.

[78crusader]

Here is what I said in the "comments" section of the survey:

There isn't enough space to tell you how I feel.  This is just another example of the toxic political correctness/woke culture that has infested (and is ruining) our society.  Apparently the relatively small faction of perpetually-offended faculty and students has determined that, after nearly 80 years, the Crusader mascot should go.  I suppose I should join the ranks of those who meekly submit to these demands. These folks are, after all, more enlightened, noble, and moral than the generations that have preceded them.  I very much doubt the University will resist this movement.  It is a safe bet that VU will join the ever-growing number of institutions of higher education that cave in to these silly demands.  Do so at your own peril - the clamor for change made by the progressive left will not stop at the mascot. Universities always preach being courageous, bold, charting your own path, think for yourself, etc., but when it comes to resisting these bullies, administrations fold like a cheap suitcase.  Your "survey" was, in my view, deliberately worded to achieve a preordained result - getting rid of the mascot - and is simply an exercise that can provide the current administration with cover once it decides to change the name ("look, 73% of respondents identify more as a "Valpo person" than "a Crusader").  VU can now join Wheaton College, who several years ago got rid of their Crusader nickname, going with the bland but PC name of "the Thunder."  I don't look forward to the new name, which will be equally nondescriptive and accomplish nothing but diminish the already-scarce amount of tradition left at VU.  Paul Thune, Class of 1978

[bbtds]

new nickname idea:

Valparaiso Essex Heroes (some will know that Admiral David Porter sacrificed his crew on the warship Essex for glory off the coast of Valparaiso, Chile)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Valpara%C3%ADso

[vu72]

This gets pretty silly to be sure.  Some schools, like Stanford, abandoned their "Indians" for a color--Cardinal.  Likewise, Harvard uses "Crimson" as their mascot, or in both cases, the lack hereof.  In Valpo's case perhaps we change everything and drop the mascot and change to Violet as our "color"  The Violet now take the floor.  Very intimidating don't you think?

[crusadermoe]

78Crusader speaks for me and does it very passionately and articulately.   

I think the "Wokeness" movement is overplaying its hand badly under the protection of national Trump fatigue.  It might face a boomerang in the 2022 election.  Higher education should probably hit the pause button on leading that movement during its existential collision with COVID. 

 

[vu84v2]

I also received the survey. I just thought that it was a poorly written survey. I don't disagree with any of your examples, but on the other hand there was a question that asked something like "what do you think of when you think of the Crusader?" Five answers were, in varying ways, positive and one was very negative. Questions like this skew the responses away from the negative, since most anyone could answer positive to one of them.

To anyone completing the survey, I would encourage you to write your comments to clearly articulate your position. I am not a fan of the Crusader mascot/nickname, but I also feel that this is not right time to push such a divisive issue.

I saw the multiple answer question differently. By asking a question with five possible positive answers and one negative, the positives are spread and their impact watered down, allowing the negative to stand out as the answer achieving the highest number of responses, a common tactic, a form of push polling. It is similar to a situation where more than one candidate from the same team is up for an award and they split the votes permitting another to win. In any case, open-mail surveys are poor choices as tools for making a decision, since the body of respondents are self-selecting and the results are skewed to activist constituencies that coordinate a mass response, as the Coalition to Retire the Crusader is currently doing at their Facebook page with their organized campaign to flood the university with hundreds of similar survey responses opposing the Crusader mascot.

I see your point regarding how you view the multiple answer question. We probably agree that it is ultimately a matter of how it is presented. My view was that you could end up with the negative answer having a majority, but only 30%. Thus, you could also say "only 30% of the people agreed with the negative position." Good points about open-mail surveys as it allows for organized responses to outweigh opinions from all constituencies.

[valpo64]

The Board's action on this subject is ridiculous.  Run the University and forget about the "do gooders" who want to change everything.  What a joke!  What a waste of time as far as I am concerned.  As was mentioned on a previous post, with all the financial troubles we are having (along with many other schools), it amazes me that they even waste the time to even talk about changing the mascot/name, whatever.  I am very unimpressed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[valpo84]

The clear new nickname comes from the Heartland Poet, the Seymour Shuffle King, John Mellencamp -- Call them The Beige

Beige to Beige
John Mellencamp

No songs on the stereo
That we could sing with anymore.
No dance that I can do
That would not embarrass you.
A sound bite here and there
With no reason for me to care.

It's just beige to beige,
That's all it is these days,
Little windows for you to crawl through.
You just do what's expected of you.
It's just beige to beige to beige
these days.

Uniforms for this and that,
To be in our club you must wear this hat.
Charlie's gonna look out for you,
You just do what you're supposed to do.
You're gonna fit in here
Just like you should.
Learn the rules and learn them good.

It's just beige to beige,
That's all it is these days,
Little windows for you to crawl through.
You just do what's expected of you.
It's just beige to beige to beige
These days.

If you need a thought
We'll give it to you.
Our statistics show what we do is true.
A world without color
Is a world without sound,
A world to keep the rabble down.
So close the deal, close the door.
Forget about the colors that you knew before.

It's just beige to beige,
That's all it is these days, yeah,
Little windows for you to crawl through.
And Charlie gonna take care of you.
It's just beige to beige to beige
These days.

[VUSL]

The mascot debate would do more harm than good.  It is as if they are removing everything we have known as a university.  And I am one who thinks "woke" culture often times is too overblown.  But just look at the ND programming recently - they have commercials where they are "Fighting for Justice" and "Fighting for (fill in the blank)".  Valpo could do the same thing "We are Valpo and we are crusaders for peace."  I can understand why they got rid of the former cartoon mascot.  But the current mascot is so godawful and frankly the shield was a positive logo update.  I could be ok transitioning away from the actual mascot, but keep the name and logo. 

[valpotx]

As I've said in the past, I am not a fan of a mascot change, but if we do have such a thing, the Uhlans ties back to the university's history, and shouldn't offend.  It is also not a complete wuss nickname, like the folks behind this survey, would probably opt.

[vu84v2]

This gets pretty silly to be sure.  Some schools, like Stanford, abandoned their "Indians" for a color--Cardinal.  Likewise, Harvard uses "Crimson" as their mascot, or in both cases, the lack hereof.  In Valpo's case perhaps we change everything and drop the mascot and change to Violet as our "color"  The Violet now take the floor.  Very intimidating don't you think?

Not all universities that use a color did so to avoid any offensive inference from their name:
-Harvard has only been the Crimson.
-Cornell has only been the Big Red.
-University of Chicago selected Maroons because that was the color of their second generation of football jerseys. The first was yellow, but that was rejected because (according to Amos Alonso Stagg) "The yellow ran, soiled easily, and had a regrettable symbolism which our opponents might not be above commenting upon."

Interestingly, Dartmouth more or less did change its name. They were (somewhat unofficially) the Indians until the 70s, when it changed to (officially) the "Big Green". Students responded that this was too amorphous and created an alternative mascot, Keggy the Keg. Student government approved Keggy, but the university refused to allow Keggy into sporting events and the concept (and costume) disappeared. [For those of you that do not understand the reference, the source material for Animal House was fraternities at Dartmouth and Washington (MO) universities]

[crusadermoe]

Stanford is "The Cardinal."  (as in "rule," not the bird(s) mind you.)   Their mascot is a tree.        Now that stirs the soul.   

We could be "Carbon Fighters?  ...Tree Huggers?,  Instead of a tree (it's taken), our mascot could be big black lump of coal with a red diagonal line across it.

[VU75]

As a point of order it was a "Wokeness" movement that lead to the Crusader nickname.

[usc4valpo]

I like the Stanford tree being portrayed as an ani mascot.
I would rather see Valpo focus on improving athletic programs, particularly basketball, than spending energy and money on a mascot debate. Who cares when our athletic programs are below average?

[78crusader]

Interim President Irwin-Knott has announced that the Crusader mascot will be "retired." What a load of BS.

Paul

[wh]

Interim President Irwin-Knott has announced that the Crusader mascot will be "retired." What a load of BS.

Paul

Tail wags the dog:

A small entity (the tail) controls a bigger, more important one (the dog).

Message from a regular feeder of the dog:

You made a large mistake.

[M]

The mascot was a pretty sorry looking Crusader anyways.

[mj]

Well you knew this was coming. I'd like to know who the members were on the review committee, the report that was generated, and the results of the survey.

It's interesting that they mentioned that the KKK have a newspaper called "the Crusader" as justification for changing the name. When I Google "the Crusader" newspaper, the first result is actually an African-American newspaper out of Chicago.

Glad they spent all that time and money 10 years ago to create the trash can head Crusader. Clearly another smart financial move by Heckler. 

[VUOR63]

She said the University was concerned about their "Lutheran Ethos"...which is curious because they just hired a President who is Catholic.