The College of William and Mary plans to remove the two feathers from its athletics logo that the NCAA considered hostile and abusive to American Indians, the college said today in a written statement.

Fourteen months ago,, the NCAA’s Executive Committee named William and Mary as one of 18 colleges and universities that had to wipe out their American Indian imagery—or face sanctions restricting their postseason opportunities (The Chronicle, August 5, 2005).

The NCAA ruled this year that William and Mary may keep its nickname, the “Tribe,” but must get rid of the two feathers in its logo to participate in or play host to postseason events.

William and Mary is changing its logo to avoid costly litigation against the NCAA, the statement said.

But university officials clearly still believe the NCAA’s policy is misguided. In the statement, Gene R. Nichol, William and Mary’s president, issued this parting shot at the NCAA: “It is galling that a university with such a consistent and compelling record of doing intercollegiate athletics the right way,” he said, “is threatened with punishment by an organization whose house, simply put, is not in order.”