Ole Miss Drops Colonel Reb Student Vote

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – When students at the University of Mississippi vote this fall on their favorite campus personalities, “Colonel Reb” won’t be on the ballot.

Instead, students will pick from candidates for “Mr. Ole Miss,” a popularly elected male honor roughly equivalent to the female honor “Miss Ole Miss.” Fall personality elections are Sept. 24

Student judicial leaders last spring declared unconstitutional the longtime honorary title of “Colonel Reb.”

The new title was selected Tuesday by a 35-0 margin of Associated Student Body Senate members with 10 abstaining.

ASB Vice President Morgan Gregory says the only item considered Tuesday was what the new title would be. Gregory says the name change takes effect immediately.

Those who held the title of Colonel Reb include Ben “Gentle Ben” Williams, the university’s first black football player.