(Photos courtesy of Michigan Tech University) Left: The Blue Key National Honor Society announced on Facebook that they were changing the logo for Winter Carnival 2020. Shown is the new logo. Right: Shown is the previous logo.

HOUGHTON – Michigan Technological University’s Winter Carnival has changed its logo in response to the apparent offensiveness of the previous design.

MTU’s Blue Key Honor Society, which organizes Winter Carnival, said in a Facebook post Tuesday night the move was in response to “controversial content and graphics.”

“Blue Key never intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable; we want to ensure that the image of the University, Blue Key, and Winter Carnival be kept in a good light, while maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment,” Blue Key said in the post on the Winter Carnival page.

The post did not specify who had objected to the logo, or why they had considered it controversial. A caveman with a spear who had been in the foreground was removed, leaving a dinosaur and mastodon. In its place was a patch of grass in snow shaped like the Upper Peninsula. In the new logo, the sun is also higher in the sky.

The logo was designed around this year’s theme, “Discover What Shines from Prehistoric Times.” The annual festival takes place from from Feb. 5-8, 2020.

Blue Key President Clara Peterson declined to comment beyond the initial Facebook post.

In a statement of support, Michigan Tech said the decision rested with Blue Key.

“Winter Carnival is a marquee event in the region, organized entirely by students,” the university said. “To produce this event year after year with such quality, and to international acclaim, is a herculean task. Without Blue Key, there would be no Winter Carnival. This is their time, and their event, to lead and as an educational institution it is our job to support their efforts and their decision.”