This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Utah Utes will remain the Utes and the 'drum and feather logo,' will stay, but for how long those Native American symbols will remain symbols of the school is uncertain.

Utah announced Monday it was keeping the drum and feather logo, which it has called the 'circle and feather' logo for the last two years although it is sensitive to the use of the symbols for native tribes.

Utah athletic director Chris Hill said the university made the decision after discussing the logo with various student groups, university administrators and representatives from various Native American tribes.

"We take our time to look at things," he said. "It's not set in stone so that is why we take time [listen] to as many groups as we can and decide if a change is warranted. We have to be careful and sensitive to both the Native American tribes and our fans."

Utah has permission from the Ute Tribal Council to use the term "Utes" and the drum and feather logo. However, the use of Native American symbols be athletic teams remains a controversial topic.

The drum often symbolizes the heartbeat of mother nature and feathers are sacred tools that draw energy and are often used in healing ceremonies.

The Utes use the logo on uniforms, media guides and ads, but not on structures deemed "permanent," or lasting more than a year, in case a change is necessary.

"There is so much investment in it, it's not a unilateral decision," Hill said. "We have to make sure we are paying attention to all the variables when we make these decisions."