The Debate Over Former UNLV Rebels Mascot Hey Reb! Rages On At Nevada Board Of Regents Meeting

UNLV alum continue to debate the pros and cons of bringing back UNLV Rebels mascot Hey Reb!

UNLV Rebels mascot Hey Reb performs after a timeout called by the New Mexico Lobos in the first half of the semifinal round of the 2012 Mountain West Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

For years, Hey Reb! served as the mascot for the UNLV Rebels athletic teams. However, the school did away with him in 2021 after he was deemed offensive by some. In today's political climate, of course, some people were thrilled by the move while others were outraged. However, this controversy has not gone away and in December, students and alumni spoke out both in favor and opposition of bringing back Hey Reb! at a Nevada Board of Regents meeting. More than 50 people showed up to address this topic. The catalyst for this issue resurfacing was a petition started by UNLV alumnus Mike Cooper back in November of 2024.

UNLV Alumnus Mike Cooper On Bringing Back Hey Reb!

“When you go to games, we’re one of the only schools that doesn’t have a mascot,” Cooper said. “Having that kind of feel in the game-day atmosphere really changes things.”

Public Affairs Director At Native Voters Alliance NV And Native Hawaiian And UNLV Alumna Mathilda Guerrero Miller On Bringing Back Hey Reb!

“A public university shouldn’t govern based on nostalgia. It should govern based on responsibility and the responsibility to protect the students who are thriving from that institution today... Symbols signal who institutions are willing to center and who they’re willing to ask to tolerate discomfort. It’s about whether progress is reversible when some people are uncomfortable with it.”

A UNLV Spokesperson Avoiding The Topic Of Bringing Back Hey Reb!

“We listened to multiple voices on the topic of a UNLV mascot during December’s Board of Regents meeting, and we have and will continue to listen to members of our university and the community on this and other topics. Our focus now is on preparing for a busy and productive spring semester.”

UNLV Alumnus Jason Kelly On Bringing Back Hey Reb!

“Symbols are important, and if you discard them, you risk losing out on community support.”

UNLV Alumnus William Scarlett On Bringing Back Hey Reb!

“If it wasn’t offensive 30 years ago to multicultural generations … why now, all of a sudden, are we choosing to take offense?”

CEO Of The Native-Led Storytelling Nonprofit Rena Flying Coyote Collective Ben WestOn Bringing Back Hey Reb!

“Why not move on? In this case, we already have moved on, so why would we backtrack? That doesn’t make sense to me...

There’s just so many creative folks at UNLV. I mean, what an incredible opportunity to really make it something special.”

COO Of The Native-Led Storytelling Nonprofit Rena Flying Coyote Collective Yancey Burns On Bringing Back Hey Reb!

“There’s no reason why a mascot should be fracturing community. It should be bringing folks together.

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