Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 1, 2017 | Worcester Business Journal 15 C O L L E G E S & U N I V E R S I T I E S F O C U S W Don't worry about being too PC The College of the Holy Cross is considering changing the name of its mascot because of potential negative connotations associated with Crusaders. When polled, WBJ read- ers overwhelmingly said organizations like Holy Cross should keep their names as is. F L A S H P O L L What's the best strategy for dealing with a potentially offensive title, particularly one that's been around for decades? Keep the name but work to make sure branding and messaging convey you reject any negative connections surrounding the name. 28% Carry on as is. Someone will always be offended so you might as well stay true to your history. 55% COMMENTS: "In this instance the name should not be considered hateful nor offensive. It is a reference to something that should be respected by those who attend and support the school." "Next the British will be offended by the New England Patriots. Seriously where does it stop?" 7% 2 0 1 5 E P A E N V I R O N M E N T A L M E R I T A W A R D $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 A N N U A L E L E C T R I C I T Y S A V I N G S F R O M L E D L I G H T I N G Ranked an "Environmentally Responsible College" by The Princeton Review, Worcester State University is committed to the environment on our campus, in our communities and beyond. From campus recycling and water conservation projects to our green chemistry program, we are dedicated to protecting our planet. No matter what you bring at the beginning of your journey , we firmly believe that your education should take you out of your comfort zone and equip you for a future you can't even imagine today. Come start your journey now and discover first-hand just what makes us Worcester State. Visit worcester.edu. WORCESTER STATE? ARE YOU with tradition. Tennessee Temple University, a small Christian school, is the Crusaders. The Florida State Seminoles have stayed put with sup- port from the eponymous tribe. In professionall sports, the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians have stuck with an unpopular name and logo, respectively, despite years of opposition. The student paper & the KKK Holy Cross' student newspaper, The Crusader, began considering a name change after 48 faculty members signed a petition urged the consider- ation, because the newspaper of the KKK uses the same name. Sam Arciprete, the newspaper's chief opinions editor, said the KKK paper's name indicated the word's meaning. "That fact alone would make you reconsider the name," he wrote in the Holy Cross paper. "If the name of the newspaper is somehow disenfranchising or alienat- ing sections of students on campus, as a KKK newspaper would, then we have a responsibility to change the name to something that is inclusive of all students here on The Hill." 10% Change the name immediately. It's better to be safe than to have the possibility of anyone making a negative connection. "This political correctness stuff is pure nonsense and has to stop." Conduct a survey of the community or internal people to see whether or not they find the name offensive and then go from there. School Old name New name Year of change Stanford University Indians Cardinal 1972 Dartmouth College Indians Big Green 1974 Marquette University Warriors Golden Eagles 1994 Southern Nazarene University Redskins Crimson Storm 1998 Mass. College of Liberal Arts Mohawks Trailblazers 2002 Mascot name changes Colleges changing their mascot names to be less offensive has been a regular move for decades. Here are some of the several dozen: Source: NCAA For advertising information contact: Mark Murray, Associate Publisher 508.755.8005 x227 • mmurray@wbjournal.com The Worcester Business Journal Central Massachusetts' Source for Business News Worcester Business Journal WBJ

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