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PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - Although the team's nickname will remain the 'Indians', the trustees at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) of Punxsutawney, voted unanimously on Friday, to change the school mascot logo to a bear. The change was recommended by IUP's president, Lawrence Pettit, to improve the school's image. The change will also allow the new mascot to be used as a marketing tool.

Pettit said the nickname "Indians" should stay because so many of the rivers and counties carry Indian names. The bear was recommended for use as a mascot because it is revered by many tribes and is also native to the region

The Indian head logo has not been used since 1991. It was replaced by the campus bell tower or the letter "I". "We've been without a mascot for nine years, and we were feeling a little lost", said IUP spokesperson Michelle Fryling adding, "we want to maintain the respect and recognition of the Native American culture, and we know that the bear will not be used in a demeaning way."

The university has not chosen a design for its new mascot yet. Fryling said, "We don't have the bear yet" and added "we don't know what we're going to do, but we know we can have a lot of fun with it, and we know that we can maintain the respect for the bear as a Native American symbol."

Indian advocacy groups were consulted concerning the mascot issue by both the committee and Pettit.