Many Butler University professors, staff members and students have departed from the university in its 158-year history.

However, the school will be replacing a unique individual in March: Butler Blue II.

The nearly nine-year-old bulldog will pass on his duties as a live mascot to Trip in about a month.

Michael Kaltenmark, director of web marketing communications and handler of both live mascots, said he knew Blue II was nearing retirement at this time last year.

“He’s served admirably for so long, and he deserves to take a break,” Kaltenmark said.

Blue II’s retirement has less to do with his overall health than his age in general. Bulldogs have an average lifespan of eight to 12 years.

Trip will take on Butler’s live mascot responsibilities in Blue II’s wake. Kaltenmark said Trip has been able to get more experience than Blue II did when he was a puppy.

Butler Blue II and Trip are not the only related top dogs that work in the same office—several of Butler’s top administrators have spouses or domestic partners on the university payroll.

Butler’s practice of hiring its employees’ partners—including those of the university’s president, former provost, two associate provosts and a dean—is consistent with trends in higher education, Marcia Dowell, director of university relations, said.

At Butler, following the trend—36 percent of U.S. academics are couples­—meant the hiring of a university relations associate, a political science instructor, visiting professor, an associate director of pre-professional studies and a multimedia coordinator.

Dowell said these positions needed to be filled at Butler in order to serve students.

The Board of Trustees approved hiring First Lady Bethanie Danko as the university relations associate, which she said is a big role with a modest salary.

“It is indeed a demanding professional position with a schedule nearly as busy as that of the leading spouse,” Bethanie Danko said.

Her schedule includes fundraising, advancement, communication and event planning, along with appearance requests, including recently helping with Blue II’s birthday party.

Former First Lady Suzanne Fong was not on the university payroll.

Bethanie Danko also worked with Jim Danko at Villanova University before their 2010 marriage.

At the Villanova School of Business, Jim Danko was the dean, and Bethanie Danko was the assistant dean for marketing and strategy.

In order to preserve continuity in a trailing spouse’s career, it also is good practice to hire loved ones as long as all university employees follow human resources policies, Elaine Johnson, director of compensation and organizational development, said.

“It’s within the best interest of the institution to help a trailing spouse find employment,” Johnson said. “I certainly can’t say it’s a bad idea.”

Is the payroll bloated with unnecessary positions in order to satisfy the desire to support partners?

“Whether they are created for anyone specifically, there’s no way anyone can say,” Johnson said.

The university is required to publicly advertise its full-time position openings, Johnson said, which it does on Career Builder.

But if positions are contract or adjunct positions, Butler does not ordinarily post job openings, Dowell said.

The university denied The Collegian’s requests for the once-public position advertisements.

The policies that Butler has in place that relate to inter-institution couples include a conflicts of interest policy and consensual relationships policy.

The conflicts of interest policy states that conflicts could arise when an employee evaluates or has direct or indirect control over the work or performance of his or her romantic partner.

Johnson said the human resources office currently is in the process of reviewing its policies in order to make sure they are updated and being followed.

Despite the high number of spouses and domestic partners who are on the payroll, Johnson said she is not aware of any complaints from the rest of the university about this practice.

The human resources management office is open to hearing from all individuals about complaints, she said.

“We’re not here to police the university,” Johnson said. “We have to depend on other individuals to make us aware when there might be things happening in the university that are against policy.”

Bethanie Danko said she hasn’t noticed any conflicts of interest while working with her husband at Butler.

“It’s been a non-issue,” she said. “Although we often discuss issues with each other and voice our opinions on the pros and cons, I wouldn’t characterize this kind of dialogue as presenting any divergent or conflicting interests.”

Some universities are made to suffer the effects of odd, awkward or just downright weird mascots—consider Purdue Pete, Syracuse’s Otto the Orange, Delta State’s Fighting Okra and Stanford’s Cardinal Tree.

Butler University has been far more fortunate in this regard.

Not only is Butler Blue II, the current Butler mascot, still spunky in his seventh year of life —bulldogs usually live for about eight to 12 years—but he also consistently receives glowing remarks from his veterinarian, Kurt Phillips.

Bulldogs can face a large number of conventional health issues associated with the average bulldog.

The list of medical problems includes congenital heart disease, lymphoma, digestive disorders, loose kneecaps and pinched nostrils.

“Blue II is doing very well,” Phillips said. “He is quite athletic and fit for his breed, being kept so active.”

Photo by Maria Porter

Butler also has a budget set aside for Blue II. The majority of it is used for marketing, and the costs of nearly all of Blue II’s needs—including transportation, food and health services—are met through donations and gifts.

The only major cost is time, according to his owner Michael Kaltenmark, director of web marketing communications.

“It’s all positive,” he said. “There are certainly sacrifices we make—our nights and weekends get chewed up—but we find time to catch up.”

“We keep him as healthy as we can,” Phillips said.

Phillips most recently extracted a tooth and has been dealing with Blue II’s reversed eyelashes for some time.

Both issues are relatively minor compared to the more common problems found in English bulldogs.

“We always have a hesitancy with older bulldogs,” Phillips said, “and Blue is certainly a senior in his breed.”

Kaltenmark said Blue II is doing amazingly well, especially for how packed his schedule is.

The photo shoots and high-scale appearances would be the first things to go if Blue II started wavering, Kaltenmark said.

“I am always cognizent of him giving me signals,” Kaltenmark said. “But he is completely taken care of.

“For example, [he has] built-in naps so he’s not overworked or overtired. We take advantage of the PR, but his health comes first.”

Butler’s bulldog mascot has represented the school all across the nation, from local appearances with children to nationally-televised features on ESPN.

Blue II has become a prime-time phenomenon, attracting nearly 10,000 followers on his Twitter account @ButlerBlue2, which is run by Kaltenmark.

Blue II also has his own website, YouTube channel, Facebook page and sponsorships, including support from Nike, Holistic Select and Good Dog Hotel and Spa.

“Blue II is not your average bulldog,” Kaltenmark said. “He’s got it made.”

The New York Times recently published an article covering the health of bulldogs used as mascots, pointing out the supposed abuse live mascots put up with.

The author of the piece, Benoit Denizet-Lewis, specifically mentioned a letter from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to Georgia’s athletic director after the death of its last bulldog mascot, “asking him to use an ‘anamatronic dog’ or to rely solely on the school’s costumed bulldog mascot.”

“It is time for the university to put an end to the cycle of suffering endured by dogs who are brought into the world solely to represent the school’s brand,’’ PETA member Kristie Phelps said in the letter.

Any worry surrounding the well-being of Blue II has been kept to a minimum.

Butler’s future mascot, Blue III, could already be on his—or her—way, however.

The Twitter handle @ButlerBlue3 has already been claimed, with 72 followers and a biography pointing users to Blue II’s official Twitter account.

Blue II’s status as Butler’s mascot appears safe for now, though.

“If his health starts to deteriorate, that will be something to take note of,” Phillips said, “but I don’t anticipate that happening anytime soon.”

The Butler community proves just how savvy it is when it comes to Twitter

Sorry, Mark Zuckerberg, but Butler University is a Twitter-addicted school.

As more and more students add tweeting to their repertoire, the number of Butler-themed Twitter pages has risen, making the “must follow” list for Butler students a mile long.

The question is: who actually runs these pages? Who has the special authority behind the official university Twitter page to tell us we’re off school for a snow day, and who gets to tweet Butler Blue II’s sassy comebacks?

Ashley Plummer, social media coordinator for Butler, is the face behind @butleru. She says that she has set things to tweet about every day—such as the alumni—but other than that, she receives help from the public relations office and tries to RT (retweet, for any Twitter newbies out there) as many student organizations as she can.

As for Vice President for Student Affairs Levester Johnson and President Jim Danko, Plummer said they do great on their own.

“I helped LJ in the beginning, but he really took off on his own,” she said. “Students really like to follow him, and he certainly knows his audience.”

Plummer said Danko came in with his Twitter and manages it on his own. His wife, Bethanie, also runs her own, tweeting about her husband’s op-ed pieces and what she’s enjoying about both the city and campus.

The Butler admissions office, @gobutleru,  is handled by Kristen Raves, the coordinator for electronic communication. While she tweets mostly for the incoming Bulldogs, she tries to update information about campus and any “Butler happenings.”

However, no piece can be complete without the quintessential Butler Twitter page belonging to Blue II. Michael Kaltenmark, director of web marketing communications, and Blue’s owner, maintains the page, illustrating the bulldog as a sassy and spoiled Butler-loving puppy.

And of course there are a few Twitter pages dedicated to poking fun at the daily lives of Butler students. @butlergirlprobs and @butgrlproblems cover the trials of Pinterest and Brad Stevens.

@total_gdi_move promotes the independent lifestyle and @busororitywire tracks what each sorority is doing—incorrectly.

Beyond that, be sure to tune in to the tweets of Lauren Pedigo,  Student Government Association’s vice president of public relations, @SGAatBU, for information about shuttles and Program Board events, see what the @campusfarm is growing this week and  follow
@BUpoliceChief to keep yourself safe.

Time to start tweeting.

Butler Blue II became a media sensation at last year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four, and this year, his stardom rose to a whole new level.

“It’s come on a lot sooner this year and the level of intensity and interest has risen,” Michael Kaltenmark, Blue’s handler, said. “Last year, there wasn’t much attention until the Final Four.

“This year, it started right away, even before the opening round.”

During the 2010 tournament, Blue enjoyed the spotlight with pictures on ESPN.com and an appearance on the CBS Sports Pregame show.

This year, Blue’s photos showed up everywhere, from the Washington Post to TMZ.

During last year’s tournament, Blue enjoyed the spa treatment at his local Indy hangouts like Good Dog Hotel and Spa in Broad Ripple.

This year, he enjoyed spa treatment at the InterContinental Houston Near the Galleria where he was pampered with a massage, alongside a model for College X on Fox Sports. He even had a martini named after him.

Yes, if Blue was living the good life last year, this year, it got even better.

It all seemed to start with the #freebutlerblue2 hashtag on Twitter, started by @ButlerVictory, Kaltenmark said.

The hashtag was meant to “free” Blue from NCAA rules that prohibited him from appearing at any of Butler’s tournament games prior to the Final Four.

“We knew we probably wouldn’t be able to attend, but we decided to try, and when the media and fans found out, they weren’t happy,” Kaltenmark said. “I talked to the NCAA to make sure they knew it was all in good spirit, and we decided to have a little fun with it.”

ESPN’s Kenny Mayne filmed “Butler’s Reign of Terror” at Hinkle Fieldhouse, a satirical piece on Blue and his NCAA tournament appearances.

“Last year it was one week of madness,” Kaltenmark said. “This year, it has been more than three weeks of madness.”

There were columns in major national newspapers. There was an appearance by Kaltenmark and Blue on ESPN’s “First Take” during the opening rounds. There were multiple local TV appearances and a second straight appearance on the CBS Sports Pregame show.

“We weren’t doing shows and appearances like that last year,” Kaltenmark said. “This year we’re on national news the first week.”

Beyond the mainstream media, Blue’s Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube sites, all run by Kaltenmark, exploded with visitors.

On April 3, Blue’s Flickr account hit an all-time high with 82,655 views of his photos from Houston.

Previously never eclipsing the 1,000- to 2,000-view mark, Blue’s Flickr page averaged no less than 12,000 views a day since last week. A photo of Blue “lifting his leg” on a blow-up Wisconsin Badger received more than 20,000 hits alone.

Printable masks of Blue have all exceeded 10,000 hits a piece.

“It’s crazy,” Kaltenmark said. “It’s absolutely unbelievable.

“I think it shows that of all the schools, Butler has really utilized its live mascot and the use of social media to promote the university.”

After last year’s Final Four, the number of Blue’s Twitter followers had just exceeded 1,000. He’s added five times as many new followers since the 2011 tournament began. Between March 28 and April 5, Blue went from about 4,000 followers to 6,082.

“Blue’s really dynamic and engaging on Twitter, so people tend to interact with him more,” Kaltenmark said. “If I don’t check his mentions for an hour, I’ll come back to 30 to 50 mentions.”

A Youtube video featuring Blue, costumed mascot Hink and unofficial Butler basketball mascot Ron5 Robot, has earned more than 15,000 views since posted three weeks ago.

Each video posted of Blue devouring opponent-shaped doggy cookies has earned more than 1,000 views since they were posted.

“I just think that this is our time and we have to take advantage of it,” Kaltenmark said. “I think we’re kicking [the other Final Four schools’] butt on social media.

“It also worked to draw attention away from Brad [Stevens] and the team, which I think they appreciate.

“It’s a beautiful thing.”

And while TMZ may have been the craziest request Kaltenmark has had for Blue, he’s happy he has received all the attention.

“TMZ was crazy,” he said. “I never in my life thought TMZ would contact me about Blue.

“We’ve just had so much fun with it all. This is what Blue was born to do, and we’ve enjoyed the ride.”

In light of the recent success of the Butler men’s basketball team in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships, the Butler community, as well as Indianapolis, has grown closer. We have all utilized the team’s success as a reason to unite as we cheer “our team” on to victory. It is a unique experience to see an entire city unite over a simple sport and a simple team.

At the beginning of the tournament, different Indiana residents were cheering for different teams. But as the competitive field was narrowed, the view was narrowed onto Butler.

Although it’s been said that many fans are jumping on the “band wagon,” I think it is so much more than that. It stems from the fact that there is a team in the national spotlight who is representing our state and its residents. We are taking pride in that by supporting Butler throughout the remainder of the tournament.

This year, sportscasters around the nation have been asking, “Who’s the new Butler?” even though Butler is still in the spotlight from last year. I haven’t been able to understand why so many people insist that Butler has had its fifteen minutes of fame and will now slip into the shadows.

Butler making its way to the national championship game last year and this year was not a result of luck or coincidence—it was the result of hard work. While it is enjoyable to beat the odds and be labeled the underdog, it grows tiresome. Perhaps it is time for those who doubt us to accept the fact that Butler has a quality basketball program. I’m not asking for everyone to become instant Butler fans, but simply to respect the quality and talent that our team possesses.

As I drive through downtown Indianapolis and even to my hometown of Franklin, In., I spot people donning Butler t-shirts, hats and jackets. I drive past houses with signs in their front yards proclaiming “Go Dawgs.” I always take pride in seeing fellow residents cheer on Butler. Amidst all the hype of the tournament, conversation can be struck up with any stranger about Butler. It is the one topic of conversation that never grows tiresome.

Butler has repeatedly been referred to as “America’s Team” and it isn’t difficult to understand why.  Butler has captured hearts around the nation as well as the hearts of Indiana residents.

Butler is the small school that has for two consecutive years fought its way to the NCAA championship game. It is hard not to root for a team and university that is so small and is succeeding so immensely against powerhouses like Wisconsin, Florida and Pittsburgh.

Butler has the ability to inspire fans across the state and country, as well as energize the nation to cheer for a new team with passion and intensity. The excitement for Butler is definitely contagious as it spreads across our country, engulfing even the smallest cities and towns.

As the tournament nears its end, I take pride in knowing that Butler has made such a significant impact on the country and has united the city of Indianapolis through their victories and hard work on the court. Band wagon or not, it is hard to deny the energy and enthusiasm that accompanies the Butler Bulldogs.

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PHOTO GALLERY | Moment by moment of Butler vs. UConn

The Butler men’s basketball team was the victim of its own demise in Monday night’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, making them the fourth team in NCAA history to lose consecutive title games.

The Bulldogs’ worst shooting performance of the season came against the No. 3-seed Connecticut Huskies, who defeated the Bulldogs, 53-41, in Houston’s Reliant Stadium.

Butler head coach Brad Stevens said on Sunday that Butler would have a shot to win if they played their best.

There was no shot to win in the end, as the Bulldogs played from behind for more than the final 18 minutes and never found a breakthrough moment or spark.

“We weren’t getting the loose balls initially, and that carried into the second half,” senior forward Matt Howard said.

Junior guard Ronald Nored repeated those words, saying that not getting the 50-50 balls was the difference in the game.

Butler shot 18.8 percent from the field—the worst ever in an NCAA championship game—and was unable to use rebounding or defense to overcome their poor shooting performance.

Whenever Butler got a stop on the defensive end, offensive plays rarely came to fruition.

Stevens said it was painful to watch the guys he cares about struggle in their biggest game.

“I told them I don’t care if they make shots and don’t love them any less because we lost,” he said. “You’re not always going to make shots, which is part of the game.

“Very rarely will you go 12-of-64, but UConn had a lot to do with that. The credit deserves to go to them.”

There may have been hope at halftime, when Butler led 22-19 despite shooting 22.2 percent from the field, but that hope quickly dissipated when it was clear Butler could not score in the paint and shot 16.2 percent in the second half.

“We kept feeling the shots would go down—that’s the belief we had,” Howard said. “It just wasn’t happening.”

Howard went 1-for-13 from the field, finishing with seven points and six rebounds.

“I wish I was able to give a little bit more to my team,” Howard said. “It was just one of those days, and it’s really frustrating now looking back at it, realizing we had our chances.”

Sophomore center Andrew Smith said it was awful watching Howard struggle to score.

“When you see a player like that, who’s had such a good career end like that,” Smith said. “He played as hard as he could and no one blames him for anything. Unfortunately, just like everybody else, he couldn’t put the ball in the hole.

“He’s played his heart out his entire career at Butler—something I’ve learned from him and will do in the future. He’s offered priceless stuff to this university.”

Junior guard Shelvin Mack—the only Bulldog to score in double-digits with 13 points—said he too was frustrated.

“We’re all upset about the game tonight,” he said. “We had chances and opportunities, and we let them slip away by not being solid.”

Mack was 4-of-15 from the field, with all four buckets coming from behind the arc.

“They’re a great defensive team,” Mack said. “They were tough and contested every shot we took—contested shots that people normally wouldn’t be able to contest.”

The defense was so tough that shortly after Butler made its 10th field goal of the game, UConn had its 10th block of the game.

Howard, along with fellow seniors Zach Hahn and Shawn Vanzant, finished their Butler careers with a combined 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Walk-on seniors Alex Anglin and Grant Leiendecker round out the five not returning next season.

“The seniors losing was the worst part about it,” Smith said. “To go out on a win with them would have been the most unbelievable thing because of everything they’ve offered to the university.

“Seeing them cry is hard to watch.”

Stevens, whose 117-25 record is the best four-year coaching start in NCAA history, said the emotions in the locker room were a true sign of Butler’s family bond.

“It’s a real locker room when the freshmen are crying,” Stevens said. “They’ve got three more years to play, but they are feeling for the seniors.”

Howard said he feels fortunate to have been a part of the senior class.

“This group has been able to do something that we’ve never done before,” he said. “It’s hard to put that into words right now because we wanted more, but maybe at some point, I can look back and be proud of what this group has accomplished.”

Sophomore guard Chase Stigall, who made three 3-pointers in the game, said he was already proud of the departing senior class.

“I know we’re going to be lifelong friends,” he said. “They’re going to go down as one of the best senior classes in Butler history, and I couldn’t be more thankful to be a part of these two years with them.

“We’ve lost five brothers today.”

Vanzant said he gave credit to UConn for their performance and that the loss hurt.

“I’ll remember being around [my teammates], the coaches and just being a part of this team,” he said.

Vanzant and Hahn both said the group was a special and unique one.

“This group of guys really believed in each other,” Hahn said. “That’s what made it so special, and I’m just proud.”

Watch the dog fight progress in the championship game between the Butler Bulldogs and the Connecticut Huskies.

What do you think about the Bulldogs’ match up in the championship game against Connecticut? We’ve done our homework and gathered the dish on our Husky opponents. Here’s what we’re up against: