Images and clothing featuring Chief Illiniwek, the former athletic mascot of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, were allowed being displayed at the university's homecoming parade Oct. 26 after originally being banned by the university's homecoming committee, The New York Times reported.
The change in policy drew harsh criticism from Carrie Johnson, president of AU's Student Advocates for Native Communities and a junior in the School of Public Affairs.
"Native mascots are disparaging to native peoples, and while I commend the University of Illinois for retiring the chief [in athletic events], I am upset with the fact that they are going to be continuing to allow his memorabilia to be used in homecoming festivities," she said. "The use of Indian mascots has a long and negative history. The use of native peoples as sports mascots does not honor Native Americans and instead is disrespectful, and I believe the university should respect the sentiments of Native Americans who have protested the use of Chief Illiniwek."
Chief Illiniwek, a mascot deeply rooted in the tradition of the university, went into a forced retirement following the suggestion of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Any college or university with an American Indian mascot is subject to the NCAA's Native American mascot policy, which bans the university from hosting championship games, according to the NCAA Web site.
A policy for the parade was enacted in August to uphold the chief's retirement. The policy banned any image or clothing that had the chief's likeness, according to The Daily Illini, the University of Illinois student newspaper.
The ban was largely opposed on the campus, with some members of the campus community even alleging the policy was an infringement of First Amendment rights. Under pressure, university Chancellor Robert Herman decided to lift the ban a day before the parade.
"As administrators planned this year's homecoming parade, they created a policy that they interpreted was in keeping with the retirement directive," according to a statement released by the chancellor's office. "In reviewing that policy, Chancellor Richard Herman has determined that the interpretation was overly broad. The university values free speech and free expression and considers homecoming floats, decorations, costumes and related signage all representations of such personal expression."
Because the ban was lifted so close to the parade, many floats partook in the parade unadorned with the chief, The Daily Illini reported.
Thousands of spectators attended the homecoming parade, The New York Times reported.
Students for Chief Illiniwek, a group "that promotes the preservation of the university's finest tradition and the values that are embodied in our symbol," according to the group's Web site, had bittersweet feelings about the situation.
"Students for Chief Illiniwek was overjoyed that the University of Illinois had reversed the policy, yet is disappointed that such a policy was allowed to be implemented in the first place," Paul Schmitt, a student at Illinois and the president of the group, said in an e-mail.
Herman made the right decision, said Steven Rutman, a freshman in the Kogod School of Business.
"Universities value tradition, and to not present Chief Illiniwek at homecoming would be going against a tradition at the University of Illinois," Rutman said.
Tradition is not a legitimate reason to continue using Chief Illiniwek as a mascot, Johnson said.
"Protecting tradition is no excuse for continuing to partake in racist activities," she said.
The chancellor should not have removed the ban, said Brooks Keefer, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs.
"You can't just flip-flop whenever it is convenient for you," Keefer said. "It's more than just the people on the campus it affects. You are taking on the symbol of an entire culture"
