The Prairie Stars are here to stay, according to an email from Chancellor Susan Koch released Tuesday.

In the email Koch wrote, in part, “The name Prairie Stars is more than an athletics team name.  It is also an important part of campus identity at this relatively young university. It is a name that is part of our heritage, a heritage that includes a reputation that continues to grow in positive ways along with the increasing size of our university community.  It is a name worth keeping … and embracing.”

Look to the Feb. 5 edition of The Journal for a follow up story on the mascot decision.