VALPARAISO, Indiana – The University of Valparaíso announced on Thursday that it is removing the name of the Crusaders team, the school’s mascot and all logos associated with the term it said was adopted by hate groups.
The decision comes after a decades-long debate that has intensified recently because groups like the Ku Klux Klan have started using symbols and words. The school’s faculty and student senates passed resolutions calling for the change, and the university’s board of alumni directors supported the revaluation of the team’s name.
The Crusades were a series of bloody religious wars that began in the 11th century between Christians and Muslims. For years, Valpo’s mascot was a figure with a helmet and fake armor.
“The negative connotation and violence associated with the images of the Crusaders do not reflect Valpo’s mission and values, which promote a welcoming and inclusive community,” said acting president Colette Irwin-Knott. “This is the decision that best reflects our values and community.”
President-elect Jose D. Padilla will oversee a committee that will consider adopting a new team name and mascot for the 3,100 student Lutheran school located in northwest Indiana. Padilla is expected to assume the presidency on March 1.
Student president Kaitlyn Steinhiser said the student senate believes that the school’s mascot should represent the university’s values and help create the school spirit.
“Crusader doesn’t do that effectively,” she said.
Irwin-Knott said that Valparaíso is following the example of other universities, which also abandoned the Crusaders.
“Valpo is and has always been a faith-based institution, and we want to make sure that our symbolism is aligned with our beliefs and speaks to the core values of the Lutheran ethos,” she said. “At Valpo, we strive to seek the truth, to serve generously and to cultivate hope. We do not believe that having the Cruzado as our mascot portrays these values.”