In the days since I announced that Northeastern State University would begin the process of changing our Redmen nickname, I have heard from hundreds of interested students, alumni and friends of the university. As you can imagine, the responses have run the gamut of emotions. I have been thanked, congratulated, chastised and cursed.

As the president of NSU, my job is to assure the academic integrity, social responsibility, long-term reputation and viability of our great university. In this role, I have a duty to protect, for the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the university, the integrity and value of an NSU degree.

At times, this obligation requires that I make some very, very difficult decisions that may prove unpopular with many people. This is certainly the case with the decision to change the Redmen nickname at NSU.

I truly understand the significant emotional attachment many of you have to this long-used university nickname. However, awakening our social conscience is never easy and often requires a tremendous amount of personal introspection, growth and development, and it has always been the goal and objective of America’s higher education institutions to be leaders in this arena.

Many of us can still remember the social, political and cultural upheaval associated with the integration of our public schools and the agonizing scenes of our National Guard protecting James Meredith from the angry mobs who attempted to stop him from becoming the first African American to enroll at Ole Miss. Today, these scenes would be appalling to Americans of every ethnicity and are only used here to recall an era that saw our society come to understand the devastating impact of intolerance, bigotry and prejudice.

During this time of social examination and development, America’s colleges and universities were a driving force for social change and provided the education that allowed us, as a country, to take great strides forward and improve the future for all Americans.

Now we are faced with the realization that Native American images and nicknames used as college and university mascots are insensitive, disrespectful and offensive to American Indians. This reality has been emerging, even at NSU, over the past 30 years. During this time, the university has gradually moved away from representing the Redmen name with American Indian caricatures and symbols. We have erased or eliminated university logos, sideline mascots and crowd cheers such as the tomahawk chop.

I believe the time has now come for our university to end the use of our Native American nickname. As an institution sharing a community with the Cherokee Nation and with a student population that is nearly 30 percent American Indian, we know all too well the economic, health care and educational challenges that face many American Indians, and we must be committed to the dialogue and education that will end these inequities.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the American Psychological Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association are just three of the numerous organizations and individuals who have encouraged us to review our use of the Redmen name.

Over the next four months, I hope you will become engaged in the process and help us create a new identity that will generate pride within our NSU family and respect across our nation.