University of Colorado at Boulder student leaders are sponsoring a contest from March 5 through March 16 for a new "spirit shirt" design that would represent the university in all of its aspects - academics, athletics and co-curricular activities - and foster a greater sense of community on campus.
Campus student organizations will promote the winning design, which will be printed on thousands of 2007-08 CU-Boulder spirit shirts.
The fourth in a series that began in 2004-05, the 2007-08 spirit shirt is being sponsored by "Competing With Class," a coalition of campus groups that includes the athletics department, the CU Bookstore and the student groups Shoulder to Shoulder, the Power of One and The Herd. Shoulder to Shoulder, which is devoted to fostering a sense of community on campus, sponsored all three of the previous spirit shirts.
The Herd is an alumni association student organization and the Power of One is a student group that has formed around the idea, first proposed by CU-Boulder football coach Dan Hawkins, that individuals can make a difference in large organizations such as universities. One of the goals of the Power of One organization is to improve fan behavior at athletic events, among other objectives.
Dustin Farivar, a student assistant in the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and chair of the Power of One, said the spirit shirt represents the idea of coalescing the campus around common themes involving unity, cooperation and making a difference.
"This is not just about selling a T-shirt," Farivar said. "We want to unite the campus and use the spirit shirt as a rallying point for all of the campus."
CU-Boulder students may submit design ideas for the spirit shirt contest by sending a file via e-mail to cupowerofone@gmail.com or by submitting designs to the Office of Student Affairs in Regent Administrative Center, room 201. All submissions dropped off at Regent Hall should be labeled "Attention: Spirit Shirt Contest."
Themes of past T-shirts have included: Shoulder to Shoulder; Gold Rush, representing CU-Boulder's black and gold colors; and Power of One. More information on themes can be obtained by e-mailing a request for information to cupowerofone@gmail.com.
Shirts can be in full color and can include text and graphics. No designs will be accepted that promote alcohol, that have sexual connotations or that are derogatory in nature.
The winner of the competition will receive a $250 gift certificate for the CU Bookstore, a framed copy of the printed shirt, a one-year membership to The Herd and will be recognized at the first home football game of the season.
"Competing With Class" student leaders will single out the top five designs from all contest submissions by March 19 and choose a winner the same week.
For more information, send an e-mail message to cupowerofone@gmail.com.