Body Painting Outlawed at CU?

Students often wear apparel depicting the CU logos and have a choice of either wearing black or gold on game day. Some students even go as far to paint their entire body the university colors.

Recently, though, there has been backlash about the use of black face paint at the sporting events because it could be seen as racially insensitive. But many students disagree with that sentiment saying that they are just supporting the Buffs.

“I don’t think it’s racially insensitive at all,” CU freshman Luke Meyer said. “I think it’s just part of school spirit. It’s our school colors. It’s just having school pride and cheering on the Buffs.”

Members of the Boulder Faculty Assembly have received complaints calling for unacceptable behavior by students to be “vigorously addressed”. The complaint deals with racial insensitivity in regards to some students painting themselves black. The assembly is going to discuss the subject of fan behavior and body painting at a meeting next month.

In the past, many of the student’s cheers have come under fire by the administration because of profanity, and now painting body parts to support to show school spirit has been called into question.

CU senior Steven Bubes, who painted his body for the University of Georgia game last October, thinks that the administration is going too far.

“I think it’s a case of authoritative overreach where someone got over sensitive about something that wasn’t a big deal,” Bubes said. “It seems a bit silly to me that it’s necessary to censor or legislate control over what people can and can’t do at sports games within reason.”

Painting one’s body has been seen as a tradition amongst many collegiate fans. But the Boulder Faculty Assembly, which governs student behavior at CU, has the power to make tradition disappear with a majority vote.

When contacted by Boulder NewsTeam, BFA chairman Joe Rosse politely declined an interview.

“We are not granting interviews pending the modification of this proposal by the BFA’s diversity community,” he said. “That work is still in progress. We are not commenting.”

Students will be waiting to hear the final verdict which will impact the way students choose to show their school spirit. The final word will be announced in March by the Boulder Faculty Assembly.