2014 alum Arcangelo Cella created a Change.org petition on June 21 asking the University to rename Rhett. In an interview with The Daily Free Press, Cella shared his views on the controversial associations the moniker's namesake brings to BU.

After receiving criticism for naming its mascot after the depiction of a character in a racist film, Boston University has appointed a committee to consider renaming Rhett the Terrier, President Robert Brown announced in an email Wednesday.