Illinois Formally Appeals Mascot Ban: The University of Illinois has formally appealed the NCAA’s ruling banning the use of the “Illini” mascot from NCAA events. In the letter to the NCAA, Board of Trustees Chairman Lawrence C. Eppley said, “Your failure or refusal to exempt UIUC from this arbitrarily derived policy will significantly affect our institutional autonomy and impair our ability to participate fully and equally as a member institution in NCAA competition,” according to the release. The ruling outlawing “hostile and abusive” Native American mascots or nicknames, made August 5th, has been successfully appealed by Florida State, Utah, and Central Michigan, and has been upheld in the case of D-I hockey power North Dakota.
While there are current members of the Seminole, Ute, Chippewa and Sioux nations, the Illiniwek Confederation of tribes no longer exists. One could argue that unlike those universities, the Fighting Illini nickname and Chief Illiniwek mascot are more similar to another “extinct” North American tribe – the San Diego State Aztecs, which are not listed on the NCAA roster of hostile and abusive nicknames. The appeal will be heard in the order in which it was received, with Newberry, Indiana (PA), and Bradley ahead in the queue. [10/14/05]
