Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Students are turning their backs on California State University-Long Beach’s (CSULB) mascot, Prospector Pete, calling the statue an “icon of genocide.” All rights reserved. Title IX. ‘Cal State Long Beach’s mascot Prospector Pete will, soon, be no more.’ A Prospector Pete statue at California State University, Long Beach, Calif., Sept. 20, 2017. - ADVERTISEMENT - CSULB’s president Jane Close Conoley ratified the results of the student’s vote on Friday, according to a release from the university. In a statement, university president Jane Close Conoley argued that Cal State Long Beach can no longer use a mascot like “Prospector Pete” given its new emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Legal Statement. A 53% student-led vote chose "sharks" over … The supposedly offensive mascot was born when the campus opened in the 1940s, with founding President Pete Peterson’s comment that he “struck the gold of education” by creating it, according to the Los Angeles Times. The sharks will become Cal State Long Beach’s new mascot, the university announced Friday, May 10. The university began accepting submissions for mascots in February, ultimately receiving hundreds of ideas. After graduating, she worked as an editor for a couple of weekly newspapers and was a contributing writer for the Orange County Register. Market data provided by Factset. The decision came about six months after the university’s leadership removed Prospector Pete, following years of criticism that he was offensive to indigenous peoples. (Whether the NFL's San Francisco 49ers should be worried about their nickname is unknown at this point. EMAILS: CAL STATE ACTIVISTS TARGET CONSERVATIVE STUDENT GROUP, SAY THEY'RE 'NOT WELCOME', This Sept. 20, 2017 photo shows the "Prospector Pete" statue at California State University, Long Beach, Calif. After a months-long process to replace Prospector Pete, sharks came out on top in a student vote earlier this week. But students have come to see the mascot not as a tribute to their founder or to California history, but rather as a representation of the violence caused to Native Americans and others during California’s Gold Rush era. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. After a semester-long search process comprising of a submission period, a community poll, and a student referendum, President Conoley officially confirmed the students’ selection of the “sharks” as the new mascot. CSULB is a large, urban, comprehensive university in the 23-campus California State University system. In February, Michele Cesca, vice president of university relations and development, said the new mascot shouldn’t impact other nicknames. The school will also move a statue of … Fox News Flash top headlines for April 26 are here. Sharks, stingrays and “Go Beach” made the final round, open only to students. More than 10,000 students voted online this week, Jara said, with sharks winning by a wide margin. or redistributed. (Thomas R. Cordova/The Orange County Register via AP). All rights reserved. Cal State Long Beach's New Mascot: A Nonbinary Shark That Uses Plural Pronouns | The College Fix (Vol. CSULB President Jane Close Conoley ratified the … If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. In 1977, the student-ran yearbook began once again, now called Horizons instead of Elan. The term — and Prospector Pete — derive from the university’s founding year, 1949; but it also eventually became a reference to California’s Gold Rush Era, during which prospectors often committed atrocities against indigenous peoples. Genesis Jara, president of Associated Students, Inc., told the Mercury News of San Jose that the options for students to vote on were selected from hundreds of ideas submitted by students. The university announced the finalists April 10. The university is now asking students to vote on a new mascot, with choices including Pelicans, Sharks, Stingrays, Giraffes, Kraken (a sea monster from Scandanavian folklore), or even picking the option called “the Beach” that is sort of a no-mascot option. While Prospector Pete hasn’t been the mascot since last year, the term “49er” will remain an informal nickname for anyone affiliated with the university. Part of his elimination will involve moving a 1967 bronze statue of Prospector Pete — also known as the Forty-Niner Man and modeled after a former student — from the central plaza on campus to an alumni area. A selection committee narrowed those submissions down to six options for a community poll in April. A university steering committee, with stakeholders appointed by Conoley, will lead that process. She became a reporter for the Southern California News Group in 2018. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! “I’m super excited,” she added. Several campus organizations continue to use the term, however, including the ’49er Foundation and the Daily 49er, the campus newspaper. Sharks garnered 53% student support after the three-day vote, held Monday to Wednesday, May 6 to May 8. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com. Cal State Long Beach announced Pete’s official demise Thursday. Last year, the university moved the statue of the mascot away from a prominent place on campus due to the outcry. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. The story, which was first reported on by The College Fix, details the pushback against the school’s mascot, which some have alleged has ties to American genocide against Native Americans.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Genesis Jara, president of Associated Students, Inc., said she’s happy the campus will “finally have something that represents us and is inclusive. CSU has a long history of fostering and building unity among the campus community through powerful symbols. 401 Golden Shore Long Beach CA 90802 (562) 951-4000. “The entire process we’ve gone through, to end up with the sharks, has been a collaborate and well-thought-out process.”. Cal State Long Beach unveiled its new shark mascot via social media today, more than a year after the conclusion of a student-initiated process that first, widely solicited ideas for a new mascot, sent semifinalist concepts to a broad community vote, and finally offered up three finalists for a student referendum. The university will begin a year-long development process to determine the visual look of the mascot, its personality characteristics, and the design of its uniforms and illustrations. 2/6/19 at 6:42 p.m. | A resolution passed Wednesday evening by Cal State Long Beach’s Associated Students will allow students to submit ideas and drawings for a new mascot, according to ASI. A new mascot is yet to be determined, but the Cal State Long Beach website says input is welcome during the Imagine Beach 2030 event on Nov. 14 … The students’ choice was apt, the university statement said, because of the university’s renowned Shark Lab — often featured in the Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” — and the campus’ proximity to the beach. ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. California State University, Long Beach (CSULB, Long Beach State, Cal State Long Beach, LBSU, or The Beach) is a public university in Long Beach, California.The 322-acre campus is the third largest of the 23-school California State University system (CSU) and one of the largest universities in the state of California by enrollment, its student body numbering 39,359 for the fall 2020 semester. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. Cal State Long Beach athletics made a subtle shift away from the image in 2014 in favor of the nickname “Beach Athletics.” However, campus student government pushed for a more substantial change … Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The sharks will become Cal State Long Beach’s new mascot, the university announced Friday, May 10. Lukas Mikelionis is a reporter for FoxNews.com, (Thomas R. Cordova/The Orange County Register via AP), Fox News Flash top headlines for April 26, Today's mortgage rates stay below 3% for 14 consecutive week | January 15, 2021, Today's mortgage refinance rates crawl upward | January 15, 2021, Here’s how much debt the average American has — and how to pay it off. The athletics program, which ditched Prospector Pete as a mascot a few years ago, will continue to use “Beach Athletics” for the coming year, according to Friday’s statement. “We have benefited from a thoughtful, thorough, and inclusive process by our students,” Conoley said in a statement. An artist rendering of the Cal State Long Beach “sharks” entree from February. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! ), CALIFORNIA COLLEGE MOVES 'PROSPECTOR PETE' STATUE FROM PLAZA. Jael Sierra, Campus Reform, 9/5/17 Students at California State University-Long Beach recently protested the “Prospector Pete” statue on campus, saying it serves as a monument to historical genocide. California State University, Long Beach has announced the shark as the new mascot for the university. The Pioneer (and any evidence of a mascot at all) disappears from the historical record for twelve years. (Photo courtesy of Cal State Long Beach), Selecting the sharks as a mascot, its entry description read, would make the university the only Division 1 school with the “king of the sea.” Sharks are also fearless and never stop swimming — representative, the entry continued, “of our students in their tireless pursuit to make a difference in the world.”. It’s official -- Long Beach State’s new mascot will be the shark! Emily Rasmussen is an alumna of the Cal State Long Beach Journalism Department. The Associated Press contributed to this report. CSULB students protest their own mascot . ©2021 FOX News Network, LLC. After a months-long process of receiving mascot idea submissions, polling the community and putting it to a student vote, Cal State Long Beach has a new mascot: sharks. “Go Beach” received 25% and stingrays garnered 22%, Jara said. When it comes to Long Beach State merch, we have what every 49ers fan is looking for. California State University's campus in Long Beach is ditching its longtime mascot amid accusations of racism and officially moving to pick either a new symbol or have no mascot at all. President Jane Close Conoley, the ultimate arbiter of the next mascot, ratified the student selection Friday, according to the announcement. The ocean predator also came in first in an online community poll last month. Six months after university leadership retired its controversial Prospector Pete mascot, California State University, Long Beach — also known as Long Beach State — announced the selection of “Sharks” as the new school mascot. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The final decision will rest with President Jane Close Conoley. In 1942, San Jose State announced the Spartans as the official mascot (now called Sammy the Spartan), making it the first CSU campus to adopt an official mascot. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. On Thursday Cal State Long Beach announced that the controversial mascot Prospector Pete would be retired. Accessibility. Much like people not changing their minds about aliens, Long Beach State athletics fans aren’t changing their minds about the “49ers” situation because Cal State Long Beach changed its mascot to a shark. According to the Daily Forty-Niner, the shark’s name is a phonetic form of “LB” (for “Long Beach”), and it’ll wear the number 49 to maintain a sense of tradition. “I am grateful to all the university’s stakeholders for their participation.”. April 24, 2019 9:33 AM Cal State Long Beach is asking the public to help select a new mascot for the university, a move that comes months after the school decided to send its former mascot … The Long Beach State Beach, previously known as the 49ers, are the athletic teams that represent California State University, Long Beach.Teams compete in 19 sports at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level. California State University Long Beach has finally unveiled its new mascot: “Elbee” the Shark. California State University Office of the Chancellor. The baseball team, for example, goes by the Dirtbags. Besides sharks, those semifinalists were stingrays, giraffes, pelicans, the mythical beast kraken and “Go Beach,” essentially a no-mascot vote. Cal State Long Beach is premiering its new shark mascot, “Elbee,” ahead of the Fall 2020 semester. Maps and Directions. The university ditched its "Prospector Pete" character in September after criticism that it was offensive to indigenous people. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. In 1972, the then California State College at Hayward became California State University, Hayward. It’s just the latest rebranding attempt on campus after retiring its Prospector Pete 49ers mascot more than a year ago. (Photo courtesy of Cal State Long Beach), Participants in an online poll in search of Cal State Long Beach’s next mascot chose shark as its top choice. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. CSULB unveils new shark mascot. 7) California State University Long Beach unveiled its new mascot… Nearly 13,000 participated in the community poll, which was open to residents, alumni, faculty and anyone else who wanted a stake in the choice. After a months-long process to replace Prospector Pete, sharks … Sharks will be Cal State Long Beach’s new…, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Best of 2020: Fried chicken takeout in Long Beach, Sharks will be Cal State Long Beach’s new mascot, university says, Coronavirus: L.A. County reported 269 fewer hospitalizations, 9,927 new cases and 88 new deaths as of Jan. 18, Gerald Locklin, CSULB teacher, writer, poet, dies at 79, Leadership Long Beach leads virtual MLK Day of celebration, service, Long Beach Airport offers rapid COVID-19 testing for passengers, said the new mascot shouldn’t impact other nicknames. Long Beach State Selects Sharks As New Mascot. California State University's campus in Long Beach is ditching its longtime mascot amid accusations of racism and officially moving to pick either a new symbol or have no mascot at all. A statement on the university website said the Gold Rush was "a time in history when the indigenous peoples of California endured subjugation, violence and threats of genocide." Towering over the courtyard at California State University, Long Beach, is the barrel-chested statue of Prospector Pete, the epitome of the rugged 49ers who came to the state … Men, women or kids - no matter the Long Beach State fan, we have the gear. With 49ers apparel from our store, you can look great while supporting Long Beach State basketball, baseball and more. The unveiling of “Elbee,” a gray colored shark donning the signature LB emblem on its chest, took place on social media on Monday, August 17, according to a press release from CSULB. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Nearly half of the participants in the poll were alumni. California State University Long Beach has finally unveiled its new mascot: “Elbee” the Shark. Cal State Long Beach is soliciting votes for its new mascot, with six candidates for the spot of the ousted Prospector Pete. Instead of spreading school spirit a mascot has caused some controversy on a local college campus. California State University at Long Beach has finally “retired” its long-time mascot, “Prospector Pete,” due to “some saying” it represents racism and genocide against Native Americans. Market data provided by Factset. May 12, 2019 - 18:51 PM. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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