[Peace-discuss] Take Action to Defeat Pro-"Chief" Board Resolution

Tue Jun 15 00:13:58 CDT 2004

>Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2004 23:41:52 -0500 (CDT)
>From: "Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative" <prc at prairienet.org>
>To: prc-l at prairienet.org
>Subject: [prc-l] Take Action to Defeat Pro-"Chief" Board Resolution
>
>
>Dear friends,
>
>This afternoon, the Board of Trustees made public the agenda for
>their meeting on Thursday in Chicago. The agenda contains a
>resolution put forward by Trustees Carroll and Sodemann calling for  "a
>consensus conclusion to the matter of Chief Illiniwek."
>
>The Sodemann/Carroll resolution is a far cry from the resolution
>eliminating "Chief Illiniwek" that Trustee Carroll promised to put on  the
>June Board meeting agenda. This resolution was part of an
>agreement by which protestors left their 32-hour sit-in at Swanlund
>Administration Building in April.
>
>THE RESOLUTION PUT FORWARD BY CARROLL AND SODEMANN IS AN
>UNQUESTIONABLY PRO-"CHIEF" RESOLUTION, is worse for the anti-"Chief"
>movement than no resolution at all, and absolutely must be defeated.  We
>are saddened and shocked to see Trustee Carroll put forward a
>resolution that further stalls racial justice and civil rights in  education.
>
>The resolution glorifies the "Chief," without once acknowledging or
>addressing the mounting concerns regarding the use of race-based
>mascots. The resolution calls for compromise through consensus,
>however, this has long been the tune of the Board, and represents no
>deviation from current Board policy. Further, the resolution clearly
>demonstrations that the current Board is not even familiar with its  own
>reports (written by Trustee Plummer following a $0.5 million
>Dialogue process) that state that compromise on the "Chief" issue is  not
>possible. Most dangerously, the ambiguous language of the
>resolution does not outline how the guidelines for consensus-building
>will be set or who will be part of the process. This makes it likely  that
>the Board could decide the fate of the "Chief' behind closed  doors,
>instead of in the light of public debate where the discussion  rightfully
>belongs. Nor does the resolution outline a timeline for  this consensus
>process.
>
>The PRC will be working to mobilize our members and allies to oppose  this
>resolution and to push for an alternate resolution seeking to  eliminate
>"Chief Illiniwek" in name, dance, and logo.
>
>Please join us in helping to defeat this resolution by calling or
>emailing the Board of Trustees at (217) 333-1920 or at
>mthompsn at uillinois.edu. Tell the Board the following:
>
>I am writing/calling as a <student, faculty, alum, community member>  to
>oppose the Carroll/Sodemann resolution put on the agenda for the  Board's
>meeting in Chicago on Thursday. I encourage the trustees to  oppose this
>resolution and instead vote to eliminate the "Chief" in  name, dance, and
>logo. Thank you.
>
>Please copy all messages to the Board to prc at prairienet.org so that  we
>can keep track of the number of emails that they get.
>
>In addition to emailing the Board, please support the many upcoming
>anti-"Chief" events in Champaign (Tuesday at 12 noon on Green Street,  and
>at 6pm on the UIUC Quad) and in Chicago (Wednesday afternoon and  evening
>-- see previous emails, or email prc at prairienet.org for more
>information).
>
>For more information, to let us know that you contacted the Board, or  for
>information on upcoming protests, please contact us at
>prc at prairienet.org or visit http://www.prairienet.org/prc. Thanks!
>
>Sincerely,
>The PRC
>
>p.s. -- here is the text of the resolution:
>
>Board Meeting
>June 17, 2004
>
>RESOLUTION CONCERNING CHIEF ILLINIWEK
>
>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.
>
>
>
>
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-- 
**************************************
Brooke Anderson
Champaign County Health Care Consumers
44 E. Main St., Suite 208
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone = (217) 352-6533, x 17
Fax = (217) 352-9745
Email = brooke at shout.net
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