Our Crimson and Gold-tinted nightmare appears to have made a major breakthrough: There will be no nickname change. According to University of Denver Board chair Doug Scrivner, ‘Pioneers’ is here to stay.
In an email reply to a concerned alumnus that Scrivner gave permission to share with everyone, and which we’ve quoted below, Scrivner explained that despite the recent controversy, the nickname will remain.
The University has also changed its web site:
We now consider the Pioneer name officially “safe” for now.
Read Scrivner’s email below:“I want to be clear: the Board and the senior leadership of the University have no plans, no efforts and no intentions of changing our nickname. We proudly claim the name Pioneers in all its dimensions. While our history, like that of all institutions, is complicated and reasonable minds can differ in their assessments, we will endeavor to continue to explore the good and the bad, but in all cases we will own and learn from our history. And being Pioneers is part of both our history and our future.”
You have been heard loud and clear. This is a great day for all members of the University of Denver community and at last, we start to move forward together, as Pioneers.
It’s official. Check out du.edu
Big step in right direction.
Very big step
Great news
Great news.
Done . Wonderful.
I am now heading to my $90 bottle of wine that I keep down in the corner of my rack. It’s been down there over a year saving it for the right moment/event. This is that moment. I will drink the first glass in total peace. I wish there was another D.U. alum close by so we could enjoy the moment together.
I will toast all of us that fought this just battle.
Thanks DU! Pioneer proud.
Nice job, 5BWest, DG, Tom, and all the Pios active on this page and everywhere. Maybe Boone can greet fans on special occasions from the Sidewalk out front of the arena, that’s public property, just can’t step foot on the campus … or maybe they’ll revisit that as well.
Forgot to mention the Swami as well!
A big step indeed, and worthy of celebration and a huge relief. I don’t think many DU people really understand how really close we were to losing our heritage and our identity…
There was a LOT of courageous work being done behind the scenes to make decision this happen, and this blog and its amazing readership were a huge part of the effort, and thanks to all who pushed back to save our school that we love.
We still have a long way to go. There will be many challenges ahead, but at least we know that our voices make a difference, and hopefully, DU now knows that we are a constituency that matters.
I am having some champagne right now…
Boone is smiling
Great day to still be a PIONEER
Great victory for all, old and young, who care so much about our university’s heritage.
However, we can’t let our guard down. The senior administration and some misguided student groups won’t be giving up and going away any time soon. Don’t forget that they have successfully diverted our attention away from the issues surrounding Boone with the Pioneer issue. They have banned him from all campus events by implementing the ridiculous ‘mask’ policy that affects only Boone but no other school mascot costumes.
These people have an agenda and they have shown us how devious they can be at getting it implemented.
Remember…they are not DU alums and they don’t give a hoot what you and I really think about our university.
I will continue to withhold my future donations until I’m convinced there has been a meaningful change in direction of the current administration and board of directors.
I don’t know what went on behind the scenes, but at the end of the day, DU handled this issue in a good manner. I’m relieved that the Pioneer name is here to stay, and encouraged that DU appears to care enough about what alumni (and others) think to clarify this matter publicly. Thanks to Ed Rowe for what I thought was a good job in keeping concerned people apprised. And thanks to LetsGoDU for keeping a close eye on the situation. Boone appears to be banned from home games, but I do hope to see him perhaps at select away events, Frozen Fours, lacrosse final fours, etc. Basically, wherever they don’t turn him away at the door!
It’s about time…
Class of 2013
I sincerely hope that the small minority of people who lobbied for this idiotic name change are not so downtrodden that they become depressed and can no longer oppose and suppress our heritage.
While I am glad they aren’t revoking “Pioneers”, the fact remains that Boone is still banned from games and that is what started all this in the first place. Do not celebrate quite yet! Keep fighting to allow Boone!!
Proud to be a Pioneer mom!
It’s official. Check out du.edu
Big step in right direction.
Very big step
Great news
Great news.
Done . Wonderful.
I am now heading to my $90 bottle of wine that I keep down in the corner of my rack. It’s been down there over a year saving it for the right moment/event. This is that moment. I will drink the first glass in total peace. I wish there was another D.U. alum close by so we could enjoy the moment together.
I will toast all of us that fought this just battle.
Thanks DU! Pioneer proud.
Nice job, 5BWest, DG, Tom, and all the Pios active on this page and everywhere. Maybe Boone can greet fans on special occasions from the Sidewalk out front of the arena, that’s public property, just can’t step foot on the campus … or maybe they’ll revisit that as well.
Forgot to mention the Swami as well!
A big step indeed, and worthy of celebration and a huge relief. I don’t think many DU people really understand how really close we were to losing our heritage and our identity…
There was a LOT of courageous work being done behind the scenes to make decision this happen, and this blog and its amazing readership were a huge part of the effort, and thanks to all who pushed back to save our school that we love.
We still have a long way to go. There will be many challenges ahead, but at least we know that our voices make a difference, and hopefully, DU now knows that we are a constituency that matters.
I am having some champagne right now…
Boone is smiling
Great day to still be a PIONEER
Great victory for all, old and young, who care so much about our university’s heritage.
However, we can’t let our guard down. The senior administration and some misguided student groups won’t be giving up and going away any time soon. Don’t forget that they have successfully diverted our attention away from the issues surrounding Boone with the Pioneer issue. They have banned him from all campus events by implementing the ridiculous ‘mask’ policy that affects only Boone but no other school mascot costumes.
These people have an agenda and they have shown us how devious they can be at getting it implemented.
Remember…they are not DU alums and they don’t give a hoot what you and I really think about our university.
I will continue to withhold my future donations until I’m convinced there has been a meaningful change in direction of the current administration and board of directors.
I don’t know what went on behind the scenes, but at the end of the day, DU handled this issue in a good manner. I’m relieved that the Pioneer name is here to stay, and encouraged that DU appears to care enough about what alumni (and others) think to clarify this matter publicly. Thanks to Ed Rowe for what I thought was a good job in keeping concerned people apprised. And thanks to LetsGoDU for keeping a close eye on the situation. Boone appears to be banned from home games, but I do hope to see him perhaps at select away events, Frozen Fours, lacrosse final fours, etc. Basically, wherever they don’t turn him away at the door!
It’s about time…
Class of 2013
I sincerely hope that the small minority of people who lobbied for this idiotic name change are not so downtrodden that they become depressed and can no longer oppose and suppress our heritage.
While I am glad they aren’t revoking “Pioneers”, the fact remains that Boone is still banned from games and that is what started all this in the first place. Do not celebrate quite yet! Keep fighting to allow Boone!!
Proud to be a Pioneer mom!
“Oh! What A Tangled Web We Weave When First We Practice To Deceive”
Make no mistake, the “powers that be” were caught and exposed. Thanks to the hard work of a number of the LetsGoDU blog readers, DU had to stop their efforts to eradicate our heritage as Pioneers. I have no doubt that they would have continued with their quest to change us to Trailblazers.
I don’t know if we will have the same success bringing Boone back. This bogus mask policy took them a year put together and they appear to have dug their heals in. The hypocrisy of this policy is absolutely stunning. As was posted earlier, Cowboy Joe, Wyoming’s mascot, would be welcome at any DU event, six guns and all.
The takeaway from the “Trailblazer Fiasco” is DU was trying to please everyone, and nobody was happy.
Its the same with the wording in the DU Mask Ban.
If even one person is “intimidated, threatened or feels harassed” by a mask, DU Security presumably jumps in.
DU has the luxury of being a private university. Leave these peripheral issues to the State Schools and focus on our core strengths.
“Oh! What A Tangled Web We Weave When First We Practice To Deceive”
Make no mistake, the “powers that be” were caught and exposed. Thanks to the hard work of a number of the LetsGoDU blog readers, DU had to stop their efforts to eradicate our heritage as Pioneers. I have no doubt that they would have continued with their quest to change us to Trailblazers.
I don’t know if we will have the same success bringing Boone back. This bogus mask policy took them a year put together and they appear to have dug their heals in. The hypocrisy of this policy is absolutely stunning. As was posted earlier, Cowboy Joe, Wyoming’s mascot, would be welcome at any DU event, six guns and all.
The takeaway from the “Trailblazer Fiasco” is DU was trying to please everyone, and nobody was happy.
Its the same with the wording in the DU Mask Ban.
If even one person is “intimidated, threatened or feels harassed” by a mask, DU Security presumably jumps in.
DU has the luxury of being a private university. Leave these peripheral issues to the State Schools and focus on our core strengths.