Published Sunday, July 13, 2008 6:05 AM
A&M focuses mascot search
By HOLLY HUFFMAN
Eagle Staff Writer
Texas A&M University is continuing its search for the next campus mascot, but administrators say they have yet to formally identify any candidates who could assume the role of Reveille VIII.
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Kevin Jackson said Friday that it still was too early to say when the next mascot would be selected or what breed she would be. He stressed that administrators were working "diligently" and hoped the canine would be part of the incoming freshman class.
"We are still engaged with a number of training organizations to find the right fit for the next Reveille," Jackson said Friday via e-mail.
"We have a couple of strong leads, but do not want to get too optimistic at this stage until we have completed our assessment and have had the opportunity for the student handlers and staff advisers as well as representatives from the Vet School to personally interact with the dogs."
Texas A&M announced in February that Reveille VII, a 7-year-old collie, would retire at the end of the spring semester. A committee was formed to review the options for her replacement.
The findings were released in May, the same month Reveille retired. Though the panel stopped short of naming a specific breed, it did say the next mascot should be an adult dog with a noble look about her, similar to that of a collie or golden retriever.
The committee also outlined a list of characteristics the next dog should embody. Reveille VIII, they said, should be a healthy, medium-to-large dog who is outgoing, positively motivated, at ease in large crowds and not highly reactive or afraid of loud noises.
Jackson confirmed Friday that A&M had narrowed its search to about 10 training organizations, including one based in Texas.
The search has focused on service dogs, a suggestion outlined by the committee because such training is based on positive motivation, acclimates the dog to being around groups of various sizes and provides an early indication of temperament, Jackson said.
The original idea, Jackson said, was to search for "release dogs." Such dogs have done well in basic and intermediate service dog training but could not perform advanced functions. For example, he said, a dog that had trouble understanding a traffic signal would be released from training because it wouldn't be able to safely escort a blind person across the street.
Selecting such a dog would allow A&M to have a well-trained dog, without taking one away from someone in need, administrators said.
"The recommended attributes have been the guiding principles of our search, but we are also keenly aware of the unique traditions of Reveille and the demands placed on our mascot," Jackson said in the e-mail.
• Holly Huffman's e-mail address is holly.huffman@theeagle.com.
Comments
[comment]
22 comment(s) found!
Posted by:
Reed Newman '76 On:
Thursday, July 17, 2008 6:57 PM
Comment Title: 2% like you
Justify it to yourself. You probably don't go to football games and Yell practice. Don't attend Muster or Silver Taps either and don't have a clue why you don't fit in. You don't state your class year so you must be ashamed of that too. Hey at least you'll get to save some money on not having to buy a class ring. I respect your dedication to academics though. At least you like something about Aggieland. Have a nice college experience!
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Posted by:
2%er On:
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 3:43 PM
Comment Title: 2%er
Like I said, I'm here for the education, not your traditions or intolerance that you use to make yourself feel a little better than everyone else.
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Posted by:
On:
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 3:06 PM
Comment Title: Reveille
It's odd to me that folks such as you choose to attend Texas A&M because of what the University was and still is to most Aggies. Why do you enroll here and then try to do everything you can to change things and tell everyone how little you care? Yeah the old former students care and we see evidence that 2%er's such as you are still around. Go to school somewhere like Tech that wants your attitude of "let's be like everyone else"
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Posted by:
2%er On:
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:19 AM
Comment Title: 2%er
I'm here for the education not for some redneck traditions and intolerant student body (and former students as you have proven).
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Posted by:
Reed Newman '76 On:
Monday, July 14, 2008 11:26 PM
Comment Title: Reveille's replacement
1. Find an American Collie puppie and get her trained. Now! We don't need a commitee. 2. Wow! Where did all the 2% er's come from? I guess 2% of 45K is a big number. Highway 6 still runs both ways. 3. Don't mess with the fabric of tradition at Texas A&M.
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Posted by:
Michael '89 On:
Monday, July 14, 2008 10:40 PM
Comment Title: Long Search
I agree that this search has taken entirely too long. It sounds as if there will be no mascot trotting the sidelines of football games this fall at the current rate of progress.
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Posted by:
Matt '93 On:
Monday, July 14, 2008 8:28 PM
Comment Title: To Aggie '09
This process has taken way too long. We are a school that produces some of the best vets (military and animal doctors) in the world. Just because the most recent collie had some issues does not mean we need to investigate every animal in the world. A panel of vets from A&M should be in charge of this process, not administrators who need three signatures of permission just to blow thir noses. This search is a waste of time. We should have had one months ago so it could start getting used to its duties.
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Posted by:
On:
Monday, July 14, 2008 6:49 PM
Comment Title:
i have a great idea for a new mascot: g i a n t w a t e r s l i d e
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Posted by:
On:
Monday, July 14, 2008 6:48 PM
Comment Title:
hey jason, those champion bloodlines are the same ones that produced an inbred epileptic. pure blood dogs have more problems. i say we get a whole pack of them. whenever we loose a game we could shoot it with that cannon and then the next one becomes the mascot. it would make the dogs care about the game a lot more. also, the dead dogs in the concrete would really enjoy seeing that on the jumbo tron we built for them. oh, it was 'just' a scoreboard...note to administrators: WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET A JUMBO TRON FOR THE DEAD DOGS? THIS INJUSTICE HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH. JUMBO TRON FOR DEAD DOGS...NOW!!!
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Posted by:
On:
Monday, July 14, 2008 3:23 PM
Comment Title:
I hope whatever we get it lays a big stank pickle on the field whenever we go to play Texas this year. Maybe we should get a monkey that game to throw its poo at Mack Brown all game
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Posted by:
Jason On:
Monday, July 14, 2008 1:18 PM
Comment Title: Reply
The reason we don't go for a rescued dog is simple. There is a much greater risk getting a dog with character and/or health issues from a shelter as opposed to getting one from championship bloodlines. We are Aggies, always will be. Mascots are idolized symbols not identifying figuresor nicknames. Auburn's nickname is Tigers and they have the War Eagle as a mascot. We need a dog that is great with kids, at ease in crowds and has a relaxed attitued and is not easily startled. Especially in today's lawsuit driven society!
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Posted by:
On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 4:14 PM
Comment Title: The Dog Committee
The fact that A&M has a committee involved should give everyone pause (or should I say paws in this situation). Committees either delay issues or are intended to provide cover for some bonehead action that an A&M administrator is contemplating. If the choice of the next Reveille were intended to be either a matter of routine business and not potentially create some outcry, you would NOT see a committee.
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Posted by:
Cecelia On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 1:54 PM
Comment Title:
I agree. A rescued dog would be a wonderful idea and keep the tradition as it started. At Sam Houston, we had an injured dog that everyone loved and just became a part of Sam Houston life. That was Tripod. So much llike the story of Reville, but that didn't evolve into the fancy dogs that A&M has had. Just a wonderful dog.
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Posted by:
Aggie On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 1:31 PM
Comment Title: Get a mutt!
We should stick to the ORIGINAL tradition of reveille and pick a dog in an animal shelter in need of a home instead of a overpriced purebreed. It would be going back to the roots of the tradition as well as doing a good deed and raising awareness of animals in need!
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Posted by:
On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 1:26 PM
Comment Title: Bubba
Dear Administration, Change A&M to have a mascot which is an actual mascot. I don't think it's smart to call ourselves Aggies and have Reveille as a mascot. Shouldn't we end up calling ourselves Reveille's in that case? Nobody initially knows what an Aggie is. I ain't a farmer.
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Posted by:
billboyd99 On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:58 PM
Comment Title: Unreal...
The Mascot search has taken longer than the search for our new Provost. Quality to the highest. Dear "Mascot Search Committee": just pick a nice dog and get it over with!
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Posted by:
Consulting Aggie On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:22 PM
Comment Title: Excessive
Dear administration, Pick a dog and get on with it. I am all for raising tuition for academic purposes, but not for a six month dog search. Collectively, this is a prime example of wasting time and money. Pathetic.
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Posted by:
bjelkier On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 11:54 AM
Comment Title: Rescue dog
Someone at A&M did contact our group. But I guess they did not like our selection of girls. Oh well.....
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Posted by:
Aggie '09 On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 11:50 AM
Comment Title: To Matt "93
Matt "93: What is more embarrasing, having a dog who bites our students and creates negative publicity or having a dog that will behave appropriately around our campus and will do nothing more than be a good symbol of our school? Let the experts (training organizations) do their work. This search wouldn't have started if they thought it was safe to continue choosing a dog based purely on looks.
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Posted by:
Matt "93 On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 11:09 AM
Comment Title: The neverending mascot search
Good idea! Get a mascot already! I can't believe this process is taking so long. You are embarassing Texas A&M University!
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Posted by:
Sn On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 8:49 AM
Comment Title: You are right!
bjelkier - I believe you are right, have you thought about contacting the University and suggesting that?
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Posted by:
bjelkier On:
Sunday, July 13, 2008 8:10 AM
Comment Title: I still think they should look at rescue groups
I am a member of a wonderful rescue group and I was fostering a wonderful collie girl that would have made a great Reveille. I think that Reveille should be a collie and a rescue one! My girl is not afraid of anything. She is young and just needs a little training. I have now adopted her myself. It seems they want one already trained and ready to go and they don't care if it is a collie or not. A rescue would make a good statement for the university.
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