ASHLAND -- Southern Oregon University put its new red-tailed hawk symbol and mascot on display Tuesday.

The red-tailed hawk, a symbol of ferocity as a hunter and protector, will be known as a raider to go along with SOU's long-standing tradition of being called the Raiders in nickname.

"We want to still be known as the Raiders, not the hawks," says SOU Athletic Director Monty Cartwright. "We don't want that to be confusing.

"We love the new hawk symbol, but we are the Raiders. The difference is it's now a bird known as a hawk.

"The students wanted to make the change but they wanted to make sure that the name Raiders stayed the same."

The winning rendering of the red-tailed hawk known as a raider was done by SOU employee Anthony Fericano of Ashland. It was approved by SOU President Dr. Stephen Reno and a committee he formed to come up with a new mascot and symbol for athletics, school functions and logos. Fericano earned $500 for his rendering of the red-tailed hawk that will be SOU's symbol and mascot of the future.

"I'm pleased to think Southern's mascot not only is a rallying point for athletes, faculty, staff, students and the community but that it is also visible on fence posts up and down Interstate-5," said Reno.

Southern Oregon athletic teams have been known as the Raiders since 1946. History professor Arthur Kreisman coined the name for the teams.

Because of the Rogue Valley's Red Raider Native American tribe occupied Southern Oregon at one time, the school used several depictions of Indian chiefs as mascots and symbolic logos for sporting events for 30 years.

But the policy stopped in 1980. Southern Oregon teams were re-named the Raiders to eliminate any cultural concerns that might have been caused among Native Americans over the previous titles.

"Student athletes are about having a mascot," said SOU Athletic Director Monty Cartwright. "It is appropriate that the red-tailed hawk is a raider, following the tradition of previous Raider symbols we've had here."