Mascot change? UC Davis students vote to have a cow take its place as the school’s icon
Beware the bovine.
If that slogan doesn’t work, the 30-person group of students at UC Davis that initiated and tirelessly promoted a mascot change from a mustang to a cow will come up with something. They’re already on a roll.
On Monday, the Cow4Mascot campaign declared victory in the student elections that ended Sunday. Included in the vote: making a cow the official school mascot. That means the undergraduates are a step closer to UCD replacing Gunrock the mustang with a cow. The entire effort of the Cow4Mascot was to raise the level of spirit around campus, including at football games, where fans already shake cowbells. Movement founder and third-year economics and statistics double major Mick Hashimoto says the campaign was “about fun, leaving a legacy.”
Said Hashimoto, “With an overwhelming super majority of 73 percent of students who voted in favor of changing the mascot, I’m proud to say we lead a moo-vement that has grounds for legitimacy for administration to make the change. We are so excited for this change to happen and are looking forward to working closely with all stake holders.”
Hashimoto said the intent isn’t about controversy or to replace the “Aggies” part of UCD’s nickname. The cow mascot movement now prepares for the real hurdles of meeting with the Cal Aggie Alumni Association and the school administration.
UCD students voted once before in approval of a cow becoming the school mascot but still wound up empty. Students voted for a cow mascot in 1993, but the UCD administration rejected it.
This story was originally published May 16, 2022 at 2:06 PM.