STATEMENT FROM UNLV PRESIDENT LEN JESSUP CONCERNING #HEYREB:
Hello Campus Community,
There have been times throughout the year when the subject of the UNLV nickname – “Rebels” – and/or the UNLV mascot Hey Reb! – has been a topic of conversation, beginning in the summer and most recently this month. In June, I commissioned the university’s Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Rainier Spencer, to conduct a thorough analysis and report his findings to me.
Since that time, Dr. Spencer has met individually and in focus groups with students, employees, alumni, and members of the community to collect their perceptions on both the nickname and mascot. He also researched archives both on campus and off dating back to our university’s earliest days to construct the most complete timeline to date on this part of our history. I have carefully reviewed Dr. Spencer’s full report.
In summary, findings include:
There is overwhelming support to use the term “Rebels” as our nickname.
There is strong support for Hey Reb! as our mascot, although some believe it is offensive in its connotation.
I have also considered the many conversations I’ve had with stakeholders on and off campus about UNLV’s mascot and associated symbolism. Here is how I believe we should move forward:
Rebels
We must keep the term “Rebels” as our nickname. It was coined as our young institution was fighting to establish its own identity, and it has come to represent the very independence and spirit that embodies both UNLV and Southern Nevada. Through its history as a community, Las Vegas has also adopted the spirit of a rebel, defying convention and applying its entrepreneurial spirit to achieve things others said were not possible. It is clear that “Rebels” is central to our shared identity and represents the broadest definition of the term. This must remain unchanged.
Hey Reb!
From the historical analysis you can see that UNLV students and administrators in the 1970s removed the university’s original mascot, the wolf Beauregard, because of its Confederate symbolism. Hey Reb! was then created in 1982 specifically with the guiding principle that it be free of any Confederate symbolism and representative of the rebellious spirit synonymous with our region’s history.
Since its introduction in 1982 as a mascot for athletics, the western pioneer Hey Reb! has grown into an iconic symbol of our university. Some, however, have voiced concern that the mascot doesn’t fully represent the university’s diversity mission and I respect their position. I believe we should keep Hey Reb!, but we should evaluate the need to freshen the mascot’s costume and related marketing images, which has been done approximately every ten years since its inception. The last update occurred in 2006.
Preserve our history
We have placed interpretive signage near what we believe to be the last remaining physical representation of the mascot Beauregard – which clearly had ties to the Confederate South – on the wood floor of the Barrick Museum (site of the university’s original gymnasium). This signage provides context to the image’s place in our history and also clarifies that we have disavowed any reference to the Confederacy and any type of connection with the current mascot. Rather than trying to erase our history, we must accept it, learn from it, and as we move on, strengthen our resolve for equity and inclusion.
Rebel Yell newspaper
I have asked Dr. Spencer to approach the Advisory Board of the student newspaper – Rebel Yell – and request an evaluation regarding a name change, given the roots of the term with the Confederate South. This decision is ultimately up to the student leaders and the advisory board for this independent newspaper.
These decisions may not please everyone and I steadfastly support diversity of opinion. I am always willing to listen to different ideas. I have been impressed with the thoughtful and passionate dialogue that has taken place. It is appropriate to pause and reflect from time to time to ensure we are on the right path, just as our forward thinking students and administration did in the 1970s with a similar debate.
We all share the same goal to make UNLV the best university possible – one that conducts path-breaking research, provides a great student experience, and is tightly connected with the community. Thank you to everyone who provided their thoughts and comments on this matter.
I also want to thank Dr. Spencer for all the time and energy he dedicated to this project. His research adds historical context and is an important foundation to inform future conversations among those at the university and in our community. Further, I want to restate this university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. We have made progress this past year but need to continue our efforts in this area.
Cordially,
Len Jessup, UNLV President
Hello Campus Community,
There have been times throughout the year when the subject of the UNLV nickname – “Rebels” – and/or the UNLV mascot Hey Reb! – has been a topic of conversation, beginning in the summer and most recently this month. In June, I commissioned the university’s Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Rainier Spencer, to conduct a thorough analysis and report his findings to me.
Since that time, Dr. Spencer has met individually and in focus groups with students, employees, alumni, and members of the community to collect their perceptions on both the nickname and mascot. He also researched archives both on campus and off dating back to our university’s earliest days to construct the most complete timeline to date on this part of our history. I have carefully reviewed Dr. Spencer’s full report.
In summary, findings include:
There is overwhelming support to use the term “Rebels” as our nickname.
There is strong support for Hey Reb! as our mascot, although some believe it is offensive in its connotation.
I have also considered the many conversations I’ve had with stakeholders on and off campus about UNLV’s mascot and associated symbolism. Here is how I believe we should move forward:
Rebels
We must keep the term “Rebels” as our nickname. It was coined as our young institution was fighting to establish its own identity, and it has come to represent the very independence and spirit that embodies both UNLV and Southern Nevada. Through its history as a community, Las Vegas has also adopted the spirit of a rebel, defying convention and applying its entrepreneurial spirit to achieve things others said were not possible. It is clear that “Rebels” is central to our shared identity and represents the broadest definition of the term. This must remain unchanged.
Hey Reb!
From the historical analysis you can see that UNLV students and administrators in the 1970s removed the university’s original mascot, the wolf Beauregard, because of its Confederate symbolism. Hey Reb! was then created in 1982 specifically with the guiding principle that it be free of any Confederate symbolism and representative of the rebellious spirit synonymous with our region’s history.
Since its introduction in 1982 as a mascot for athletics, the western pioneer Hey Reb! has grown into an iconic symbol of our university. Some, however, have voiced concern that the mascot doesn’t fully represent the university’s diversity mission and I respect their position. I believe we should keep Hey Reb!, but we should evaluate the need to freshen the mascot’s costume and related marketing images, which has been done approximately every ten years since its inception. The last update occurred in 2006.
Preserve our history
We have placed interpretive signage near what we believe to be the last remaining physical representation of the mascot Beauregard – which clearly had ties to the Confederate South – on the wood floor of the Barrick Museum (site of the university’s original gymnasium). This signage provides context to the image’s place in our history and also clarifies that we have disavowed any reference to the Confederacy and any type of connection with the current mascot. Rather than trying to erase our history, we must accept it, learn from it, and as we move on, strengthen our resolve for equity and inclusion.
Rebel Yell newspaper
I have asked Dr. Spencer to approach the Advisory Board of the student newspaper – Rebel Yell – and request an evaluation regarding a name change, given the roots of the term with the Confederate South. This decision is ultimately up to the student leaders and the advisory board for this independent newspaper.
These decisions may not please everyone and I steadfastly support diversity of opinion. I am always willing to listen to different ideas. I have been impressed with the thoughtful and passionate dialogue that has taken place. It is appropriate to pause and reflect from time to time to ensure we are on the right path, just as our forward thinking students and administration did in the 1970s with a similar debate.
We all share the same goal to make UNLV the best university possible – one that conducts path-breaking research, provides a great student experience, and is tightly connected with the community. Thank you to everyone who provided their thoughts and comments on this matter.
I also want to thank Dr. Spencer for all the time and energy he dedicated to this project. His research adds historical context and is an important foundation to inform future conversations among those at the university and in our community. Further, I want to restate this university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. We have made progress this past year but need to continue our efforts in this area.
Cordially,
Len Jessup, UNLV President
