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Media Memo: UW-Eau Claire mascot update

TO: News Editors and Directors

FROM: Mike Rindo

DATE: Sept. 29, 2010

SUBJECT: UW-Eau Claire mascot update

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Student Senate passed a bill Monday, Sept. 27, adopting a mythical bird as the mascot of the students of UW-Eau Claire.

Other than a survey of students, organizers of this current-student initiative did not solicit broad input from alumni, friends of the university or other members of the university community when making its decision.

UW-Eau Claire will continue to use the Blugold nickname but will have no official mascot.

The mascot of the students will not appear on university buildings, athletic uniforms, letterheads, etc.

At this time, the Student Senate will assume responsibility for costs and other obligations that are associated with the mascot of the students including design, creation of costumes and compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.

Background on mascot issue:

  • The mascot issue has surfaced on and off throughout UW-Eau Claire's history. Most recently, it resurfaced in 2006 when the Student Senate president authored a resolution to recommend the chancellor form a committee to review the need for redefining a Blugold. In 2007, the administration was petitioned for the creation of an official mascot.
  • After a 2008 survey of the university community (current students, alumni, faculty, staff, community members and friends of the university) showed strong support for a mascot, a committee was charged with further exploring the mascot issue.
  • The committee (which included current students, faculty, staff and alumni) held a mascot contest in 2009 to solicit ideas for a possible mascot. The mascot contest entries resulted in another survey being sent to alumni, students and others. That survey asked respondents to rate three possible mascot options that had been identified by the committee: an ox, a voyageur or no mascot. A majority of the survey respondents favored the ox or no mascot.
  • The findings from the committee were shared with the Student Senate, as had been the senate's request in its original resolution asking for the committee to be formed to explore the mascot issue.
  • The Student Senate then opted to do its own survey of the students regarding a mascot. The results led to Monday's bill adopting the mythical bird as mascot of the students.

For more information contact Mike Rindo, UW-Eau Claire executive director of university communications, at 715-836-4742 or rindomj@uwec.edu and Dylan Jambrek, UW-Eau Claire Student Senate president, at jambredt@uwec.edu, stusen50@uwec.edu or 715-836-4048.

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