After 10 years of debate, the DASB Senate, working alongside administration, will officially change De Anza College’s mascot from the controversial Don.

The idea to change the mascot was first proposed by DASB Senate in 2009, after some controversy arose surrounding the origins of the mascot, according to a La Voz article from 2009. The Don is commonly associated with Spanish colonizers and their conquests, which some of the student body believes to be insensitive to indigenous people.

Marisa Spatafore, associate vice president of communications and external relations, does not want the new mascot to have any offensive connotation.

“What we’re absolutely requiring [is] absolutely nothing that could have any sort of racist, sexist, any sort of offensive connotation,” Spatafore said. “We’ve been suffering with it for years and years.”

According to the last general election from winter quarter, 79% of students who voted wanted to replace the mascot. 

In order to change the mascot, DASB Senate is sourcing opinions from the athletic department, a subcommittee of four DASB Senate representatives and the DASB Senate. A poll will be sent out to students and faculty with options, and the top voted result will be taken into consideration for the final decision by DASB Senate. 

The proposed mascots include the archers, bobcats, defenders, diamondbacks, sun devils, wildcats, bears, grizzlies, lions, the ‘67s and mountain lions.

Shelly Michael, DASB president, said she wants the mascot to be something students are content with.

“No one’s really proud to be a Don,” she said. “We’re trying to revamp the mascot to something students are really really proud of and happy to have as their mascot.”