WESTERVILLE, Ohio — For some colleges and universities, nicknames and mascots just seem to fit — the Ohio State Buckeyes, for example. Then there's the Otterbein Otters. Wait, that's not it. It's the Otterbein Cardinals. Cardinals? Yup, and it's not likely to change anytime soon.

        For about a half-century, factions of students, faculty and alumni have been at odds over what to call the sports teams at Otterbein College, a private school of about 2,800 students in this Columbus suburb.

        Some like Cardinals, others Otters. The campus radio station, WOBN, sponsored a vote on Election Day hoping to end the debate. It didn't.

        “There's never really been any kind of discussion that I know of on adopting the otter as the mascot,” Registrar Don Foster said. “I think we're missing a great opportunity to be unique. I don't think Otterbein Otters sounds any cornier than the Muskingum Muskies or the Illinois Illini.”

        On Nov. 7, four ballot boxes were placed on different parts of the small, red-bricked campus so students, faculty, alumni and members of the community could vote.

        Results, which were presented to the school's administration, showed 627 votes, with Cardinals winning 326 to 286. Eight people wanted Otterbein to use both nicknames and seven people wanted neither.

        “It's very divided, just like our country,” joked John Buckles, a communications professor and faculty adviser to WOBN.

        Otterbein's teams have been called the Cardinals since the 1940s, although the school has never formally adopted it as its nickname and mascot.

        It is thought the nickname came from the school's colors — tan and cardinal — and the bird mascot, a distinguished, stern-faced caricature, eventually followed.

        The otter, which resembles an undersized, undertoothed walrus, is viewed negatively by some at the school.

        Joann Van Sant, a dean of students emeritus who's been at Otterbein since 1948, said an otter mascot would be disrespectful to the memory of Philip Otterbein, for whom the school is named.

        “If he had been named Fox, would we have a fox as a mascot?” Ms. Van Sant said. “I just can't see being the Otterbein Otters. How would that look in the paper?”

        Although there's a cardinal on center court of the Rike Center arena, cardinals on the school's football helmets, and a cardinal mascot, the catalog for incoming freshmen and the school's financial-aid packet both have otters on them.

        Research done by WOBN showed no other colleges in the U.S. had an otter mascot.

        Greg Johnson, Otterbein's director of alumni relations, wants the school to adopt both nicknames. He thinks an otter would be an effective marketing tool.

        “I try to look at what makes sense,” Mr. Johnson said. “You can use it so well. "You otter be at Otterbein.' Public-relations wise, it's something you can get a ton of yardage on.”

        Other schools, such as Auburn and Alabama, have two nicknames. Auburn has the Tigers nickname and a “War Eagle” mascot; Alabama's teams are nicknamed the Crimson Tide and its mascot is an elephant.

        “There are 88 schools in Ohio — high school and college — that have the cardinal,” Mr. Johnson said. “There is not a single college in the United States that has the otter.”

        Students at the station haven't learned whether the administration will take any action. Mr. Buckles said he expects most administrators to remain neutral. College President C. Brent DeVore did not return a phone call seeking comment.

        Junior Ryan Smith, 20, a WOBN disc jockey and promotions director, said he was surprised the election was taken so seriously.

        “I think originally it was just a crazy idea we had in brainstorming session, "Well why don't we have a spoof on the election.' Then it kind of became a little more serious,” he said.

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