Chief Illiniwek & Indian Mascots: Archived news

Sep. 7, Chicago Sun-Times:
"Illinois' Leaders Must Step Up, Get Rid of Chief"

Columnist Carol Slezak writes in today's Chicago Sun-Times that the Chief "must go." Quoting extensively from the North Central Association report, the Sun-Times article derides the call by UIUC for "full and comprehensive information" on the Chief issue, stating "there is no more information left to gather."

Slezak concludes "The Chief's gig is up. We're just waiting for Illinois to realize it."

The article in its entirety is available here.

Sep. 4: Board of Trustees to take up Resolution to
"Preserve and Recognize American Indian Heritage"

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees (BOT) will consider a resolution titled "Policy to Preserve and Recognize the State's American Indian Heritage." It continues and extends prior statements directed toward a "consensus resolution" on the Chief Illiniwek issue. It states in part

"the core of the issue concerns the preservation and celebration of the State's heritage and American Indian culture and traditions..."

More on this policy and reaction here. The full text of the resolution is available here.

Resources: Media articles -

• "New policy may affect Illiniwek's fate" (Chicago Tribune, Monday 9/6)
• "University of Illinois board to consider policy in Illiniwek debate" (Chicago Tribune);
• "U of I board to consider policy on preserving Indian culture" (WQAD, Moline IL);
• "Trustees to vote on heritage resolution" (News-Gazette).

Aug. 25: Accreditation agency points to "Failure of leadership" at UI over Chief

The Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette reported Wednesday that the agency responsible for the University of Illinois' accreditation has released a statement sharply critical of UIUC. The report, and the University's response, is available here.

The North Central Association report states that the failure of UIUC and the Board to resolve the Chief dispute "is evidence of a failure of leadership and shared governance at the University" and "compromises the university's ability to meet its goals for educational effectiveness."

While no sanction or impact on the UI's accreditation is in effect, the North Central Association Higher Learning Commission stated that the "rate and amount of damage to the institution will continue to accelerate if the issue is not addressed decisively and soon."

Aug. 25: Info on next BOT meeting

The next meeting of the U.I. Board of Trustees will be in Springfield on Thursday, September 9. It will be held at the Public Affairs Center, lower level (rooms C&D), starting at approximately 8:30 a.m. The public comment session will be the second item on the agenda following the roll call.

We are grateful to the Board of Trustees for providing this information.

July 7: UI not appealing "Gag Order" ruling - for now

The University has chosen not to appeal a ruling against it by the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court had ruled 2-1 against the University of Illinois regarding a 2001 UIUC statement which required that all anti-Chief comments directed at potential student athletes first be cleared through the athletic office. UIUC has spent over $250,000 so far in the case, and is liable for $5,000 in damages and $300,000 in legal fees. The University is leaving open" the option of appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. Info:

• Daily Illini
• Chicago Tribune.
• U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

June 14: Board of Trustees Defers Decision On Chief

The Board of Trustees (BOT) has chosen not to vote on the future of the Chief at their June BOT meeting. Instead, they adopted a resolution calling for a "consensus conclusion" to be reached.

RetireTheChief is disappointed that the Board has chosen not to take a decisive stand on the issue. As the Tribune noted, "finding compromise will be difficult at best." The Board appears to be deferring their "Chief Illiniwek" decision to others.

The "Resolution Concerning Chief Illiniwek" at the June 17 BOT Meeting:

Whereas, Chief Illiniwek has been a treasured symbol of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since its introduction in 1926;

Whereas, many students have performed well and ably in the role of Chief Illiniwek;

Whereas, Chief Illiniwek was created and intended as an honorable and respectful representation of the indigenous people whose name is commemorated in the name of this State and its flagship university;

Whereas, Chief Illiniwek has symbolized the dignity, strength, intelligence, and grace to which athletic teams at the Urbana-Champaign campus have aspired;

Whereas, at the Board's request, the Honorable Judge Louis B. Garippo prepared a comprehensive report titled The Chief Illiniwek Dialogue -- Intent and Tradition vs. Reaction and History - A Report to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, which contains a historical record of Chief Illiniwek and many opinions about the tradition;

Whereas, Trustee Roger Plummer delivered a report to the Board concerning the varying views on the matter of Chief Illiniwek, as well as the historical support for the terms "Illini" and "Fighting Illini" as they pertain to the athletic teams at the Urbana-Champaign campus;

Whereas, as representatives of a great 136 year-old land grant university, the diverse people and cultures of Illinois, the university's nearly 71,000 students and its 300,000 proud in-state alumni, the Board of Trustees affirms that these constituencies are deserving of a conclusion to the Chief Illiniwek matter that is based upon a consensus among concerned parties;

Whereas, through dialogue, the Board of Trustees acknowledges that opportunities exist for consensus to be reached;

Whereas, such a conclusion provides an opportunity to resolve the Chief Illiniwek matter in a manner that is in the very best interest of the University and not of any particular constituency or interest group, that is consistent with the values espoused and practiced by the University, that has a compelling rationale found acceptable by a large majority of the University's constituencies, and that brings finality to the subject;

Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Board shall seek a consensus conclusion to the matter of Chief Illiniwek; and

Further Be It Resolved, that the Board shall next consider and approve guidelines pursuant to which a consensus conclusion will be based.

May 15: Senate President Emil Jones
has "Cordial" Meeting with BOT

April 28: Senate President Insists Chief Must Go

State Senate president Emil Jones said on Tuesday, April 27 that "the Board [of Trustees] should move" [NG] on the Chief issue, insisting that the Board take up the Chief - on its June board agenda, if not sooner. "[The Chief has] been on the agenda several times ... it should be on the agenda before we adjourn session at the end of May." [NG]. More directly, he tied the Chief issue to the state funding of the University, saying

"If our tax dollars are going to the university, and the university is using those tax dollars to permit stereotyping, then I think we should deal with it accordingly..." [ST]

"[The Board] should have resolved this issue some time ago simply because of the hostility that exists at the Urbana campus. The Board of Trustees has not acted responsibly in dealing with this issue..." [CT]

While suggesting the UI budget could be impacted if the Chief was not retired before the General Assembly adjournment on May 21 [NG], he withheld specifics, stating "You make that decision when you get ready to hit them with the ax." [CT] Among others contacted by the Chicago Tribune, the Governor's office stated the decision was up to the trustees; Board chairman Lawrence Eppley did not comment; Board member Francis Carroll felt the Board should hold a special meeting on the Chief; and UIUC President James Stukel said he would take the concerns to the board, but leave the decision to them.

The Chicago Tribune' Eric Zorn suggested on Wednesday that

"To me, the Chief debate is simple: He's got to go because in our culture, public institutions in particular don't preserve or maintain symbols or language that a significant portion of the population -- particularly those most directly affected -- feels is profoundly offensive."

[NG]: Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, "UI budget threatened over Chief Illiniwek"
[CT]: Chicago Tribune, "Senator tells U. of I. to bounce Illiniwek"
[ST]: Chicago Sun-Times, "Dump the Chief, Senate leader demands"

Protesters vacate Admin. Bldg; Chief on June agenda

The occupation of the U.I. Swanlund Administration Building ended peacefully on Friday, April 16, after two days of protests. The following agreement was reached:

• Anti-Chief representatives will meet with the visiting North Central Association accrediting team on 4/26 [NG]
• Anti-Chief representatives will meet with the black and Latino caucuses of the Illinois Legislature on April 27, the same day U.I. administrators discuss their budget in a Senate hearing. Protesters will also meet with Illinois Senate President Emil Jones [CT]
• The protesters agreed to leave the Swanlund building
• The University agreed not to press charges against the protesters

NG: News-Gazette, Sat., April 17.     CT: Chicago Tribune, Sunday April 18.

Higher Learning Commission to review Chief issue

The Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette is reporting that the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association - which is responsible for University accreditation - will be visiting the UIUC campus on April 26-27. A three-member team will be in Urbana "to re-examine how the institution is handling the Chief issue" [N-G, April 9]. They will meet with representatives on both sides of the Chief Illiniwek issue.

RetireTheChief invites readers to review their accreditation standards, including the 2003 overview. Accreditation Criteria Statements and Core Components include:

• 1b. In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves.
• 2a. The organization realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends.
• 3c. The organization creates effective learning environments.
• 4c. The organization [will] assess the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society.
• 5a. The organization learns from the constituencies it serves and analyzes its capacity to serve their needs and expectations.

We note in particular the strong emphasis on the importance of diversity, for which the Higher Learning Commission released a Commission Statement last year.

Southern Poverty Law Center: "Debate Crosses State Lines"

The Southern Poverty Law Center, an internationally- recognized organization devoted to civil rights and tolerance, has issued a news article, "Illiniwek Debate Crosses State Lines." They noted that the Board "continues to avoid repeated calls to drop Chief Illiniwek from the sports lineup at its flagship school. The board even cancelled its April meeting after a student trustee promised to put a resolution to retire the mascot on the agenda." The SPLC issued a statement earlier this year calling for retirement of the Chief.

Students vote on the Chief

An Illinois Student Government referendum on the Chief on March 16-17 resulted in approximately two-thirds of voters wanting the Chief retained, while one-third favored his retirement. Approximately 13,000 votes were recorded, representing roughly one-third of the student population.

Board of Trustees Cancels Meeting

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees cancelled their April 15 meeting. This followed the announcement by student trustee Nate Allen that he would put a vote on the Chief on the April meeting agenda. The position of the Board is that there was not enough work to do to justify an April meeting.

March Vote on Chief Illiniwek Delayed

The vote on Chief Illiniwek was postponed. Trustee Frances Carroll withdrew the resolution because there were not enough votes for it to pass.

UI Faculty Senate Encourages Chief Retirement

The continued controversy surrounding the Chief not only inspires divisiveness and personal attacks that diminish the effectiveness of the president and the chancellor, it also may hamper the university's efforts to recruit successors for Stukel and Cantor...

Dick Schacht, chair of the General University Policy Committee, said [The Chief issue] "is going to affect what happens in the conduct of these next couple of searches and (we) would not have it clouding the horizon any further."

National Civil Rights Group Urges UIUC to Retire Chief

Native Americans Protest Against the Chief in Chicago

California Assembly passes Racial Mascots Act

Update - NCAA Review Of American Indian Mascots

"institutions with American Indian mascots [must] complete a self-analysis checklist by September, 2005" and "directed staff to identify the criteria that institutions will use to evaluate" their mascots.

Resolution to be Re-Introduced March 11

Anti-Chief Rally on Friday, October 10

Aug. 18, 2003: Mascot Review advances through NCAA

July 21, 2003: NCAA News letter addresses Mascots

April 7, 2003: ISU Debate on Political Correctness

On the evening of Monday, April 7, a debate was held at Illinois State University on the subject of Political Correctness. The debate, sponsored by the Lambda Pi Eta Communication honorarium and the ISU communications department, was the second in a new series of Oxford-style debates held at ISU.

Six speakers, including the RetireTheChief editor, were invited to speak on the motion that "This organization believes political correctness does more harm than good." RetireTheChief opposed the motion, not because we like political correctness (we don't - freedom of speech is important), but because PC is equated with "excessive" sensitivity - and RetireTheChief believes we must respect other cultures. We don't believe that PC thinking must be equated with sensitivity to others, but this link is often made.

We'll make our comments to the ISU audience available here in the near future.

February 21, 2003: NCA Diversity Statement

The Higher Learning Commission of The North Central Association has issued a new Commission Statement on Diversity. The Commission states, in part,

"The Commission champions diversity as a value to be upheld, and it looks to its member organizations to promote diversity in both concept and practice as they realize their respective missions."

"Recognizing diversity is one of the values embraced by the Commission in its overall statement of mission and its new Criteria of Accreditation. Therefore, member organizations are encouraged to evaluate their respective missions, visions, values, and character to determine how well they address issues of diversity."

The full text may be found here.

January 20, 2003: NCAA Convention
gives "in-depth, in-person look at mascots"

The 2003 NCAA Convention held January 11 at Anaheim, CA had an Association-wide session devoted to mascots. The session featured the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) report on American Indian mascots in intercollegiate athletics.

Amy Hackett, one member of the MOIC, said:

After many months of research and analysis, the (MOIC) concluded that the use of American Indian mascots must be of concern to the NCAA ... based on the feedback we received from American Indians, the committee believes good intentions to honor American Indians do not always end in good results."

The MOIC recommendations are "working their way through the [NCAA] governance structure and likely would be examined by the NCAA Executive Committee at a future meeting."

The full report may be found here.