Denver Boone - Boone's Unofficial Return

Boone's Unofficial Return

By 2006, a movement to bring back the Walt Disney creation had begun to gain momentum. In 2008, a survey of the DU community showed an overwhelming 87% supported reclaiming Boone. Nonetheless, on October 20, 2008, Chancellor Robert Coombe opposed the will of the overwhelming majority via an email to students, citing that Boone "does not reflect the broad diversity of the DU community". Princeton Review indicates that minorities compose just 7% of the student body. The issue has been covered by the Denver Post, NBC affiliate KUSA, and ABC affiliate KMGH. Editorials by Valerie Richardson in the Washington Times and Mike Rosen in the Rocky Mountain News have been highly critical of the administration.

By this point, DU had essentially shelved Ruckus, and in November 2008, the University announced its intention to identify a new mascot, however Boone's departure and the debate were matters that were far from settled. In his letter to students and alumni concerning Boone, Chancellor Coombe stated that "Boone is a part of our history, one that is treasured by many alumni and friends as a symbol of the University they knew three and four decades ago." He also acknowledged that "we are certainly an institution that honors its past. Hence it seems reasonable that students and alumni be allowed to use the image as a celebration of that past, to the extent that they may choose".

Thus, in early January 2009, a group of alumni floated the idea of resurrecting a "Denver Boone" on their own as an "Unofficial" mascot. Several mascot companies were contacted. Sketches and quotes were secured. Through the LetsGoDU blog, an enormous grassroots effort was born and thousands of dollars worth of support for the initiative ensued. Student and alumni support for the endeavor was enormous.

A win-win-win solution evolved: (1) the administration did not have to backtrack on its position, (2) those who opposed Boone's image on the grounds that he did not promote a diverse student body did not see him as an "official" DU symbol, and (3) the students and alumni who valued Boone saw his return. Independent alumni solicited essay applications for mascot candidates, and after DU student Scott Fuson was selected, he was immediately sent to Raymond Entertainment Group's Mascot Boot Camp, a trip funded entirely by independent DU alumni and at no expense to the institution or the student. The alumni have also stated that the new mascot should be committed to promoting diversity and partnering with a broad array of student groups and the university administration has reciprocated this olive branch by allowing the mascot to make appearances on campus and at events.

The new Boone mascot was designed with an "ethnically-ambiguous" skin tone and four fingers on each hand, to show that he is to be perceived as character and not as living human being. Boone was officially unveiled by students and alumni at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC as part of the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four. festivities.

In August 2011, a rumor started by a Fraternity at the University of Denver conceded that Denver Boone could serve as the "official student mascot" even though he is still not endorsed as the official university mascot. This rumor is considered false according to the Chancellor's office at DU.

As of late 2012, the Unofficial Boone mascot has appeared at many DU athletic events and campus functions and has been seen in some promotional videos. He has also appeared at DU athletic events in Boston, Minneapolis, Madison, Wis., Baltimore and Annapolis on alumni-funded trips. The official "Ruckus" Mascot now appears very rarely.

In January 2013, Denver Boone began to take part in the social media world, creating a twitter account with the username @DU_Boone and a facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/denver.boone). The push of social media is to help further increase the motion to re-make Boone the official mascot of the school.

In February 2013, the Undergraduate Student Government passed a bill on Feb. 27, 2013 which stops student organizations from using Undergraduate Student Government funding for items that include the Boone image, in order to prepare students to welcome in a new mascot being selected by a student lead task force. The bill was supported by a vast majority of the people present at the time it was voted on in the Undergraduate Student Government.