Stanford University does not have an official mascot, but the Stanford Tree is the unofficial mascot of the university and the official mascot of the Stanford Band. The Tree is a member of the Stanford Band and is often called one of Americas most bizarre and controversial college mascots. Stanfords team name is "Cardinal," referring to the vivid red color, not the common songbird as at several other schools. The Indian was the mascot for Stanfords athletic teams from 1930 to 1970, but it was removed due to controversy. The university has never settled on an official mascot, and the debate about what the mascot for the school should be has been ongoing since 1972 when the team name was changed from the Indians to the Cardinal.