Minot High School has officially adopted a new secondary logo amid an ongoing trademark dispute with the University of Minnesota.

The decision was made by the Minot Public School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, April 10, based on more than 3,800 responses to a survey. Superintendent Scott Faul said three-quarters of the participants were female, which was the same as the ratio who found having an “M” as the secondary option for the logo was important.

Of the options polled, 46% wanted the letter pulled out of the Magician logo, 32% wanted Minot North M in maroon and gold colors, and 20% wanted the Duane Carlson M. Secondary questions focused on the shade of gold used, with 40% wanting Vegas gold while 60% favored yellow gold.

An additional item asked whether the Majette nickname should be kept, or if the girls and boys sports should be unified under the magician’s nickname. During the public comment period, former girls basketball, cross country, and track and field coach Glee Mayer addressed the board on the Majettes nickname question.

Mayer said it was a distinct privilege to coach “Majettes” over the years, a moniker which she feels has permeated into the very identity of the girls sports programs.

“We are now commonly referred to across the state as the Majettes,” Mayer said. “I think we’ve done ourselves proud using that name.”

Mayer told the board she and many other former coaches and athletes were concerned over the prospect brought forward by the survey, which stemmed from an ongoing trademark issue with the school’s logos and branding. Mayer said she had reached out to school board members and administrators and was left with the impression the question regarding the fate of the Majette name was a late addition to the survey.

“I truly applaud your efforts as a school board in unifying the colors and dealing with the trademark issue here at Minot Public Schools, but I think we have something pretty special here with the use of Magi and Majettes. I sincerely hope you can come to look at it in the same light as the people in present at Minot High School athletics, as in the past,” Mayer said, concluding, “Once a Majette, always a Majette.”

Faul shared that 60% of those polled wanted to keep the Majette’s nickname, while 39.6% wanted to retire it and merge both under Magicians.

Board member Scott Louser said he appreciated Mayer’s perspective and the passion behind the Majette’s nickname and felt more research by the new athletic director was required before any decision could be made on that matter.

Louser said he appreciated that the survey was opened up to anyone who may have a connection to Minot to voice their opinion but stressed it wasn’t a vote. Faul said he was happy so many supported using an M that already existed rather than desiring an original or different one. Louser motioned to make the M currently in the Magician logo as the secondary logo for the district, which was seconded by Sabrina Herrmann.

“Since we do have some fairly good data, I’m glad we saw that kind of responsiveness. I think it makes the most sense,” Herrmann said.

School member Bill Irmen said he’d like to see student contributions toward a logo idea before the board moves forward, but board member Lacey Laudenschlager said given this is just for a letter, it would drag out the process.

The board voted 5-1 to pass the motion, with Irmen casting the only vote against.