Marlowe Thorne, Tuesday, Nov. 26

I do not see [that] any mention has been made in the letters on this website of the September, 1999 special emphasis visit to the University of Illinois by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The report of that Commission stated these conclusions:

1. The use of The Chief is an educational issue.
2. The controversy regarding The Chief will not go away.
3. The institution appears not to be addressing the issue in a manner consistent with some of the policies and principles of its Board, its own strategic plan.
4. It is the responsibility of the leadership of the institution to create the environment that will allow for resolution of the controversy in a manner consistent with the principles of the North Central Association and the goals of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The report also states: "Moreover there is no doubt in the team's mind that the continued controversy is having a negative effect on the educational effectiveness of the UIUC. Ample testimony was received from individual faculty and relevant academic departments about how their missions and programs were negatively affected by The Chief. The team did not find the evidence it hoped to see that the institution has plans to deal with the negative effects of The Chief on educational effectiveness."

The report states that another visit is required in 2002-03 "...focused on the Board's efforts to address the educational and governance issues surrounding the athletic symbol."

I wonder how the Board will convince the Commission that it has made positive effort in this regard.

Marlowe Thorne