Pioneer Mascot Retirement

The Pioneer Mascot Committee seeks feedback from Cal State East Bay constituents including students, faculty and staff, and alumni. To help guide this conversation, the following frequently asked questions provide some context about the history of the Pioneers, Pioneer Pete, and the mascot retirement discussion.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cal State East Bay's mascot

What is the university mascot?

Cal State East Bay’s mascot--the symbolic figure used to depict Pioneers--was originally depicted as an astronaut, but has been characterized as a male gold prospector named Pioneer Pete since the early 1970s.

Why is the university working to identify a new mascot?

In October 2018, Cal State East Bay’s Academic Senate passed a resolution to recommend removing Pioneer Pete as the mascot. In November, the Associated Students, Inc., also passed a resolution to retire Pioneer Pete.

Both resolutions were forward to President Leroy M. Morishita, and a Pioneer Mascot Committee was created.

How will a new mascot be selected?

Cal State East Bay President Leroy M. Morishita convened the Pioneer Mascot Committee to make a recommendation about the future of Pioneer Pete and whether there should be an image or mascot to represent “Pioneers.” Using surveys, town halls and other community-wide feedback, the committee will provide a summary of findings to President Leroy M. Morishita in late Spring 2019, with recommendations on how to proceed.

Who will make decisions regarding the new mascot?

Co-chaired by Suzanne Espinoza, vice president for student affairs and Kimberly Baker Flowers, university diversity officer, the Pioneer Mascot Committee is representative of the larger Cal State East Bay community, including students, staff, faculty and alumni.

The committee is tasked with engaging in collaborative university-wide information gathering with the final goal of drafting a recommendation to the president that identifies whether a different mascot or symbol should embody what it means to be a “Pioneer.”

President Leroy M. Morishita will review the recommendations, and along with the Cabinet, determine the next steps for the process.

What is the timeline for this process?

President Morishita has called for a summary of recommendations to be presented to him by the Pioneer Mascot Committee by the end of April 2019.

Will the university’s colors change?

Will Cal State East Bay remain the Pioneers?

Yes. as our Alumni Relations office says, we are #foreverpioneer. “Pioneer” has been with the university since 1961 and will not change. The goal of the committee is to engage the campus community in a discussion to redefine “Pioneer” in the context of an updated university mascot.

How will this impact Athletics branding?

Characterized mascots are most often used as part of the intercollegiate athletic identity. However, Cal State East Bay’s Athletics Department rebranded to use a stylized “EB," and is not using Pioneer Pete as part of uniforms or promotional materials.