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This Is U of Illinois
Jake Futernick and Steve Basilone try to hit all "Big Ten" colleges. At the University of Illinois the boys chug a beer to become a member of the club. The next morning they pillow-fight with sorority girls, become cover models and get interviewed on college radio. In case you forgot... this is college. Jake Futernick and Steve Basilone try to hit all "Big Ten" colleges. At the University of Illinois the boys chug a beer to ... more
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Death of a Mascot
Joe travels to the University of Illinois campus to get the reactions from both sides on the controversy of Chief Illiniwek.
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University Reverses Policy to Allow Mascots Return
CHICAGO, Oct. 27 Chief Illiniwek has not yet left the campus.
Months after the University of Illinois decided to retire the mascot officially, banning him from university activities, the image of Chief Illiniwek, a buckskin-clad American Indian, was allowed to return to an event during homecoming celebrations this weekend on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
His likeness appeared on the side of a couple of floats, face-forward, fully framed in feathers.
In the name of free speech and in a reversal of policy, Chancellor Richard Herman lifted a prohibition on the use of the Chief Illiniwek logo on homecoming parade floats just a day before the parade rolled on Friday night.
The university values free speech and free expression, the university said in a statement, and considers homecoming floats, decorations, costumes and related signage all representations of such personal expression. Therefore, Chancellor Herman has directed the Homecoming Committee to strike the existing policy from the homecoming float guidelines.
A few thousand spectators showed up on campus for the parade, and about half of them were sporting some sort of Chief Illiniwek paraphernalia somewhere on their bodies. There were no protesters.
As an official mascot, Chief Illiniwek performed for the last time in February. He was retired under pressure from the National Collegiate Athletic Association and amid heated debate at the university, though the universitys sports teams retained the nickname Illini. A symbol of university and geographic pride to many, Chief Illiniwek came across to others as a racial stereotype from another time.
He was 81 years old.
.... CHICAGO, Oct. 27 Chief Illiniwek has not yet left the campus. ... more -
Take A Hike, Chief
For 81 years, Chief Illiniwek has been the mascot of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. Controversial racial issues have plagued the Chief over the past few decades, which have pushed the university to remove the mascot. The Chief danced for the last time during a mens basketball game against the University of Michigan. For 81 years, Chief Illiniwek has been the mascot of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. Controversial racial issues have plag... more
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Daily Illini Controversy
An exploration of the current controversy surrounding the Daily Illini at the University of Illinois after the publishing of 6 of the 12 Muslim cartoons. An exploration of the current controversy surrounding the Daily Illini at the University of Illinois after the publishing of 6 of the ... more
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