1

2 SMU STUDENT SENATE

3
4Bill Number: F-09-10-06 Final Vote:
5
6Authors: Jack Benage, Jake Torres, Alex Ehmke _Student Senate Secretary: Peter Goldschmidt
7
8Dean of Student Life: Dr. Lisa Webb Student Senate Chair: Alaa Al- Barghuthi
9
10
11
12 A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE GIFT OF MUSTANGS TO THE UNIVERSITY
13 AND THE FUTURE OF PERUNA AS OUR MASCOT
14
15WHEREAS SMU has been presented with two mustangs in the hope
16 that their “rugged determination to survive and thrive” will
17 be put on display as a symbol of the rugged determination
18 of SMU’s football team and athletic programs, and
19
20NOTING WITH SATISFACTION the selfless and honorable work of the National Wild Horse
21 Foundation and the generous Mrs. Madeleine Pickens, and
22
23DEEPLY THANKFUL for the Pickens’ dedication and commitment to the spirit
24 and traditions of Southern Methodist University, and
25
26CONSCIOUS of the university’s plans to have these new mustangs
27 represent SMU at university events as well as at football
28 games and on the boulevard as supplements to our current
29 mascot arrangement and not as replacement mascots, and
30
31MINDFUL that some of the only time that our university interacts with
32 other institutions is at athletic events, and that this time is
33 often the only opportunity that other colleges and
34 universities have a chance to form opinions about who we
35 are as a university, and
36
37NOTING that our current mascot and symbol of the student body, a
38 black shetland pony named Peruna, has represented us so
39 well in the past, and
40
41RECALLING Peruna’s history as the most dedicated fan of SMU football
42 for the past 77 years, having been in attendance at every
43 home game since 1932 and having led us to three National
44 Championship titles, 10 bowl games, and over 350 total
45 wins during his tenure as our mascot, and
46
47DEEPLY DISTURBED with respect to Coach Jones, about his statement that his
48 “football team wants to come out behind a mustang. I
49 mean, that’s really what it’s about” and differing from
50 Coach Jones in suggesting that “really what it’s about” is
51 toughness, strength, dedication and “All Grit. No Quit,” all
52 qualities possessed by our current mascot, Peruna, and
 53RECOGNIZING that this tradition is one of the most deeply ingrained and
54 long-lived traditions of SMU, with stories and facts about
55 Peruna and his history being shared and taught to every
56 incoming student, including our “Pony Up!” tradition, at
57 our AARO and Mustang Corral events, and
58
59DEEPLY TROUBLED that university decision makers did not seek the opinion
60 of the student body (represented by the 96th Student
61 senate) in this matter, one which affects the
62 representation of the entire SMU community,
63 specifically students and alumni, whose image is the one
64 actually being represented by either Peruna or any
65 other mascot-like additions such as these mustangs, and
66
67CONFIDENT that based on Peruna’s career history he will continue to
68 represent the ideals and strength of our university and its
69 athletic programs with class and honor, and
70
71CONCERNED that any additional symbolic representation of our
72 university will be destructive to a legacy that SMU is trying
73 to achieve through it’s hard work with the “Unbridled”
74 campaign, and particularly
75
76CONSIDERING that mustangs at our events would be bridled which
77 contradicts the spirit of our current capital campaign which
78 aligns very well with Peruna, who is unbridled, and
79
80FURTHER NOTING that while the spirit of the mustang is, in many ways, in
81 keeping with our ideals as a university, the student body is
82 concerned that the addition of the new mustangs will
83 detract from a long-standing and important university
84 tradition, however,
85
86ENDORSING the work being done by Mr. and Mrs. Pickens to help the
87 mustangs across the country through the National Wild
88 Horse foundation, and
89
90HOPING that SMU can somehow partner with Mrs. Pickens and the
91 National Wild Horse Foundation to establish sanctuaries
92 for these mustangs, so the university can be responsible for
93 the rescue of these proud animals which are indeed
94 representative of the spirit of our university in many ways,
95 be it therefore
96
97RESOLVED I. The Student Senate urge the university to
98 consult the opinion, spirit, and wishes of the student
99 body prior to making important decisions that affect
100 the image of the university and its students.
101
102 II. That the student body supports Peruna as SMU’s only
103 mascot.
104
105 III. That the student body wishes Peruna to be the only
106 figure symbolically representing SMU at university athletic
107 events, regardless of whether any additional figures are
108 considered official or unofficial mascots or figures.
109
110 IV. That the student body is thankful and deeply
111 appreciative of the Pickens’ donation, dedication to our
112 university, and the mission of the National Wild Horse
113 Foundation.
114
115 V. That the student body retains a great interest in the
116 university aiding the National Wild Horse Foundation and
117 any other organizations aiming to help the overall welfare
118 of these mustangs in any way appropriate.
119
120
121Respectfully Submitted,
122
123Jake Torres Alex Ehmke
124Education Senator Chief of Staff
125
126Jack Benage
127Chair of Membership