A Wayne State University task force has recommended, and the administration has approved, a name change and the adoption of a new athletic identity system.

The new system replaces a limited and dated identification system and introduces the Warrior team name and mascot to supersede the Tartar. The previous name first appeared in 1927 after a contest held on the then City College campus. Before the Tartars, school nicknames included the Griffins and the Munies.

The new identity system facilitates and extends the university's plan to compete at the NCAA Division I level. This fall, both women's and men's hockey teams will take the ice; they will begin Division I play the following year. Other teams are on track to make the transition over the next three to five years.

The task force included several vice presidents; the chief of staff; representatives from the Division of Academic Affairs; the athletic director; four coaches; athletic department staffers; student athletes; students from the general student body; Alumni Association leaders; and several other employees.

The group met regularly with SME Design of New York City to evaluate WSU's current athletic identity system and examined other collegiate identification programs. Members proceeded through a multi-phased process of concept generation, testing and refinement. The process involved name explorations and several name tests using several audiences and techniques for evaluation.

The process was led by SME, which has achieved a national reputation for providing collegiate athletic programs and professional sports franchises with highly successful communication systems. Locally they have worked with the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons, and Detroit Shock.

They also have worked with nearly 700 universities and colleges around the country, including St. John's in New York, Temple in Philadelphia, the University of North Carolina and Stanford University.

Throughout the process, the Warrior name consistently received strong, favorable reactions. In addition, the name embraced characteristics associated with the WSU student body and athletic teams--a fierce determination and an ability and willingness to compete and succeed. The Warrior name also provides a bridge to the Tartar heritage, thus providing an effective means to retain the loyalty of those who want the Tartar name to live on. Early this fall, SME will provide a "Tartar Warrior" secondary mark to round out the identity system.

The complete system will consist of an updated color scheme, a new font and a set of marks--a family of insignia and symbols consisting of a primary mark, secondary marks, "peel-able," stand- alone art elements and sport-specific marks. The entire system will provide a flexible platform for unified representation of WSU athletics; it will be applied gradually in a variety of settings from uniforms to facilities, media guides, sportswear and accessories.