Redhawks it is

It was a year ago that Southeast Missouri State University became serious about changing its nickname from the Indians to a name that its supporters would consider more politically correct. But the search for a new identity goes back to 1997 and the presidency of Dr. Dale Nitzschke. At his direction, a special committee recommended that the university adopt a sun mascot that might be called Bernie or Burnie. The committee's second choice was a hawk. The third choice was an eagle.

That committee wanted the university to retain its Indian and Otahkian nicknames.

Nothing changed.

In the decision this week to transform the Indians into the Redhawks, we hope the university's board of regents has settled an issue that has caused no little upheaval for the university and its alumni.

The extended, at times contentious, debate over the proposed change began last summer with the formation of an 18-member mascot committee. Since then, almost everyone who had something to say has had a chance to say it.

The university's alumni association and its athletics booster club both favored the change, which is expected to improve the university's ability to market its sports teams.

We hope this will be a positive move for the school, which joins a list of other universities that have followed an NCAA recommendation to abandon Native American nicknames.

The Indians won't become the Redhawks until spring 2005. Until then, we're rooting for them all the same.