| Submission declined on 23 October 2024 by Ktkvtsh (talk). This submission appears to be a news report of a single event and may not be notable enough for an article in Wikipedia. Please see Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not#NEWS and Wikipedia:Notability (people)#People notable for only one event for more information.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
The Belted Kingfisher is a proposed mascot for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).[1] It was originally designed by University of Illinois student Spencer Hulsey[2] as a potential replacement to the university's previous mascot, Chief Illiniwek, which was retired in 2007 after the NCAA included it a list of 19 mascots that were cited as "hostile or abusive".[3] Hulsey, in large part, chose it because the female Belted Kingfisher shares UIUC's school colors, orange and blue, and is native to Champaign County.[4]
In early 2023, a group of students created a Belted Kingfisher costume, and has started attending university events as an unofficial school mascot.[5]
Votes and endorsements
editWhile the university has made no move to officially endorse a new mascot, the Belted Kingfisher has been the subject of several non-binding votes. In 2020, it received a majority of student votes as a possible new mascot.[6] It was also overwhelmingly endorsed by the University Senate, voting 105 to 2 in favor with 4 abstaining.[7]
The kingfisher mascot proposal has also been endorsed by several Native American organizations, including the Native American Rights Fund.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Kingfisher: The Belted Kingfisher". LibGuides. University Library. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Simmons, Ethan (October 24, 2019). "Kingfisher design reignites mascot debate". The Daily Illini. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ a b Campbell, Matthew. "Retired Illinois Mascot Still Causing Harm". narf.org. Native American Rights Fund. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Lund, Nicholas. "The University of Illinois Might Make a Kingfisher Its New Mascot. It should!". audubon.org. Audubon Magazine. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Zimmerman, Bradley (Aug 18, 2023). "Kingfisher mascot makes first appearance on U of I campus". WCIA. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Keilman, John (March 10, 2020). "Could the belted kingfisher, an orange and blue predatory bird, become the University of Illinois' new mascot?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Majid, Aliza (September 22, 2020). "University Senate endorses kingfisher mascot in landslide vote". The Daily Illini. Retrieved 28 August 2024.