New England Anti-Mascot Coalition

MOIC forwards recommendations from mascots review

The NCAA News Online, July 4th, 2005

By Leilana McKindra
The NCAA News

BOSTON — The NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) fashioned recommendations that address the issue of institutions using American Indian mascots, nicknames, logos and imagery during its June 21-22 meeting.

The committee shaped a broad range of recommendations that will be forwarded to the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues for review during that group's August 3 meeting. The recommendations from that group will be sent to the Executive Committee for a final decision August 4.

Because the recommendations have not been finalized, the MOIC declined to release specifics about them before the subcommittee meets. However, Robert C. Vowels, commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and chair of the MOIC, said the group was taking the issue seriously.

"We're being prudent and strategic," he said. "We're expecting things to change and to change quickly."

According to Vowels, the committee's goal was to not only give the Executive Committee subcommittee legitimate and realistic options for how to treat the American Indian mascot issue, but also to create a safe, healthy environment for competing student-athletes and for fans.

"I was impressed with the committee's thoughtfulness and seriousness throughout the process. We have worked extremely hard to put together a set of recommendations I think are worthy of serious consideration. I'm optimistic that this will be a catalyst for moving in the direction of improving the situation," said Vowels.

The issue of athletics teams using American Indian mascots, logos and imagery is not new. In fact, it has been an issue since the 1960s, when the National Congress of American Indians launched a campaign to combat Indian stereotypes in print and media.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, an independent bipartisan agency of the federal executive branch, issued a statement in 2001 encouraging non-Indian schools, colleges and universities to stop using American Indian mascots, nicknames and imagery. The National Association of the Advancement of Colored People, the National Education Association, the National Organization for Women and numerous church-affiliated groups also have joined the government agency in calling for the use of American Indian mascots, logos and imagery to end.

However, opponents have argued that the use of the mascots, logos and imagery honors American Indians. Currently, 30 NCAA institutions, including high-profile Division I-A institutions such as the University of Illinois, Champaign, and Florida State University, as well as Division II University of North Dakota, maintain mascots and nicknames ranging from the generic "Braves" or "Indians" to specific names of tribes such as "Choctaws" or "Fighting Sioux." However, some of the schools being targeted can point to outreach efforts that have determined their logos and nicknames not to be offensive to American Indian groups in their community. Some also have established strong, positive relationships and deep historical ties with tribes near their campuses.

Numerous American Indian tribes and individuals of Native American descent also have addressed the use. While many call for use of related imagery, signs and symbols to cease, other tribes and individuals have come out in support of institutions using American Indian mascots.

Four years ago, St. Cloud State University President Roy H. Saigo formally requested that the NCAA take up the issue. The Division II Presidents Council referred the matter to the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues, which in turn delegated it to the MOIC.

The set of recommendations presently being developed by the MOIC represents the group's second attempt to establish a policy for how the Association should handle the issue. The committee directed an initial self-study at institutions with American Indian mascots during the 1999-2000 academic year and, in 2002, forwarded its report and recommendations based on its research to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee took the recommendations under advisement, but requested that a second campus climate survey for institutions currently using American Indian mascots, nicknames and logos be completed.

The MOIC's most recent actions were based, in part, on results from that second self-evaluation. The survey was distributed to 31 institutions representing all three divisions. As part of the voluntary self-evaluation, schools were asked to clarify their position on the continued use of American Indian mascots based on NCAA constitutional amendments that establish the Association's commitment to the values of diversity, respect and nondiscrimination. Institutions also were asked to provide information on their educational and outreach initiatives related to American Indians.

"This is the second time around," said Ron Stratten, NCAA vice-president for education services. "Some schools have changed in the intervening years. Has the change been uniform and complete? No. But, the committee has been vigilant about making recommendations to move people in the right direction."

In other actions at the MOIC meeting, members noted that the name of its NCAA Coaches Academy has changed to NCAA Men's Coaches Academy, and they discussed revamping the program to more closely resemble the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy overseen by the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics. The Women's Coaches Academy is not sport-specific and incorporates coaches at all levels.

Currently, the Men's Coaches Academy focuses specifically on the development of football coaches and reflects a partnership between the NCAA and the Black Coaches Association and the National Football League. However, the MOIC is considering a more generalized academy that would be open to coaches in all sports and cover topics such as interviewing, the importance of understanding the culture of a campus, gaining a thorough understanding of the position and understanding the role of athletics at an institution.

The committee also agreed to assist with officiating initiatives rooted in the NCAA strategic plan by exploring ways to identify and cultivate ethnic minority officials in all sports. The group plans to work with the national office staff as well as officiating groups on the issue.

In addition, the MOIC provided feedback to the Division I Committee on Athletics Certification's request for input on "outcome measures" that the certification committee should consider in determining the success of an institution's minority issues plan. The committee suggested adding questions relating to a school's search process for filling coaching and administrative vacancies, and whether the athletics department's policies are linked to the university's diversity statement or plan. The MOIC is interested in holding institutions accountable for having a plan that improves the recruitment, hiring, development and retention of ethnic minorities and women in athletics.