The Associated Student Government (ASG) passed a resolution Tuesday to introduce “Swoopette” as Miami University’s female mascot, alongside a separate resolution encouraging zero-waste initiatives, as well as electing four senate leadership positions.
Parliamentarian Aubrey Crish and Senator Quin Ahler introduced legislation proposing a female counterpart to Miami’s mascot, Swoop. The proposal aims to expand representation while maintaining a symbol that has defined Miami’s identity for nearly three decades.
“It’s a long time coming,” President-elect Charlie Merrill said, citing its potential to cultivate unity and camaraderie across campus.
Secretary Katherine Allison raised questions about the necessity of introducing a separate female mascot, suggesting instead the existing mascot could be understood as gender-neutral.
“Anyone can be the mascot,” Allison said, after adding that women already perform the role behind the mask.
Crish noted pairing Swoop with Swoopette pays homage to Miami’s long-standing “Miami-merger” tradition. Though Swoop is not officially assigned a gender, the mascot has historically been perceived as masculine-presenting. Crish remains open to continued conversation surrounding its definition and public consensus.
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Crish and Ahler have already begun outreach efforts. They cited examples from neighboring institutions in the Mid-American Conference utilizing dual-mascot systems and its effect in promoting school spirit, such as mascots “Rocky” and “Rocksy” at the University of Toledo. Their proposal gained traction through an Instagram post that received significant interaction, with minimal negative feedback.
The pair plans to continue discussions with university stakeholders, including the Office of the President, the Office of the Dean of Students and the Athletic Department, as the initiative moves forward.
ASG also passed a resolution encouraging internal zero-waste initiatives including reducing single-use utensils and increasing recycling bin usage.
Senator Maria Buzogany proposed the piece of legislation in accordance with ASG’s agreement with Miami’s plan to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2040. The resolution will provide a tangible agreement to prioritize sustainable options in events, meetings and banquets.
ASG also elected senate leadership for the upcoming term. Senator Lynn Setter was elected as secretary of sustainability, Nathan Lentz as deputy secretary of the treasury, Senator Kali Barcroft as speaker pro tempore and Senator Nick McClure as parliamentarian.
As secretary of the Sustainability Committee, Setter said she plans to begin her term with a focus on education and student leadership, particularly within Greek life and student organizations, while promoting Student Engagement and Leadership workshops through the Center of Student Engagement, Activities and Leadership to teach student organizations. She also hopes to connect sustainability with mental health through nature walks and outdoor initiatives.
“Focusing on habits that go beyond graduation,” is central to her role, Setter said.
As deputy secretary of the treasury, Lentz will begin his role by prioritizing communication and organization within the treasury while ensuring senators are well-informed before making internal financial decisions. To start, Lentz and Secretary of the Treasury-elect Japveer Singh plan to collaborate on internal job training.
As speaker pro tempore, Barcroft hopes to improve legislation workshops and increase senate participation through legislation-writing.
As parliamentarian, McClure said he plans on using a “hands on, hands off” approach, guiding senators while allowing them to independently develop legislation.
ASG also discussed its Internal Operating Budget, during which senators briefly debated funding for “Claude Pro,” an artificial intelligence tool, for communications improvement before removing the expense from the final budget.
The meeting concluded with general announcements. Sharefest — a nonprofit corporation that redistributes student donations — will be held May 14-19 from 9-5 p.m., with scheduled donation drop-off locations at residence halls and Chestnut Fields Parking.
The meeting marked ASG’s final session of the academic year.
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