LORMAN (AP) &045; Alcorn State University has stopped using its old logo featuring a profile of a Native American and may phase out the ”Braves” mascot.

The new logo is a letter A with the word ”Alcorn” written through it.

”There are national sensitivities toward Native American symbols, and there is a national movement toward this,” Alcorn athletic director Robert Raines said. ”Our administration felt it would probably a good idea for us to do this.”

Raines said the decision came after a nationwide NCAA study on the matter and several years of discussion. Other schools such as Marquette, St. John’s and Miami of Ohio have dropped old nicknames with Native American themes in favor of less-offensive generic nicknames and mascots.

There are no current plans to change Alcorn State’s ”Braves” nickname, Raines said, but the next target may be the school’s mascot. A student dressed as a Native American warrior roams the sidelines at football games.

”I’m sure that is the next step,” Raines said of phasing out the mascot. ”That is a student affairs issue, though.”

The office of student affairs oversees the mascot program.

If the Brave is booted from Alcorn, it would be the second college mascot in Mississippi to meet such a fate. The University of Mississippi is phasing out its Colonel Reb mascot, a bearded old man critics say is reminiscent of a plantation owner. Ole Miss last year tried to create a younger, more muscular Rebel, but backed off the plans after protests from supporters of Colonel Reb.