The controversy surrounding the use of Native American imagery is not specific to Illinois, as many schools across the country have been affected by the NCAA's August 2005 ruling that deemed mascots perpetuating racial and ethnic stereotypes "hostile and abusive."
In effect, the policy barred 18 schools from hosting postseason events until they altered the offensive symbols in their mascots. Additionally, the mascots may not be displayed or associated with uniforms, cheerleaders, dance teams, or band uniforms and paraphernalia at any of the NCAA's 88 championship events. Though the ban is universal, the NCAA has addressed each school's case separately.
In light of the NCAA's decision, a total of 11 schools have changed or agreed to change some aspect of their symbols, while five schools are exempt from the policy and three others continue to defy it.
Florida State University, which nicknames itself the Seminoles, is one school that is excused from obeying the decision because the Seminole Tribe of Florida supports FSU's use of its tribal name.
Like Illinois, Southeastern Oklahoma State University also changed its mascot, abandoning the Savages in favor of the Savage Storm. Carthage College, meanwhile, altered its nickname from the Redmen to the Red Men. While the specific changes mandated for each school to remove itself from the NCAA's postseason ban list differ from case to case, the underlying goal is the same: to assuage the controversy surrounding Native American mascots.
Two schools in continued defiance of the NCAA's ruling - the Alcorn State University Braves and the Arkansas State University Indians - are not seeking a review from the NCAA and remain subject to the policy, prohibiting them from hosting postseason events. The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux, the third school which has failed to comply with the 2005 ban, is keeping its current position under wraps.
"[University of North Dakota] is currently in litigation [on the issue] so I have no comment," said Peter Johnson, Associate Director and Media Relations Coordinator of University of North Dakota.
-by Lauren Ebstein
