U.S. News and World Report’s “Paper Trail” blog is holding its second annual “Best of College Newspapers” contest. Completely unscientific and arbitrary sure, but a good overview of the most notable developments across America’s higher education community.

The Chief Illiniwek mess is nominated for “Nonstory of the Year” AKA “2007’s Most Asinine News,” along with five other stories that mattered so much to so few (across the country, that is).

However, a bright spot. Sujay Kumar, local columnist and all-around good guy is nominated for Columnist of the Year for his “Should you be voting for Chuck Norris or Oprah Winfrey?” column published right before winter break.

Good luck Sujay!

The Daily Illini has learned that The Daily Show will broadcast a segment that was filmed at the University of Illinois last week.

The segment deals with the Chief Illiniwek controversey and features Daily Show correspondent Aasif Mandvi along with several U of I students.

The Daily Illini was lucky enough to send a photographer to It’s Brothers! where part of the segment was filmed. The bar will be holding a special viewing session tonight. You can view photos from the shoot here.

Once the segment airs, I will post the Comedy Central Motherload clip if it becomes available. Otherwise, get your YouTube on. If you’ve got a reaction to the show, send your thoughts to opinions@dailyillini.com and I will post them up here if I can’t fit them in the two print issues I have left.

Update: Comedy Central has the video up. Yes, that’s former DI columnist Jack McMillan.

Update #2: Motherload is notoriously difficult to work with. But luckily, it got posted on Youtube today. It will probably get taken down soon due to ongoing disagreements between Viacom (Comedy Central’s parent company) and Google (which bought YouTube this year) If you want to grab it before it’s gone, there are ways. Google is your friend.

Update #3: Youtube is now down and motherload still won’t embed properly, so here’s the direct link.

According to a press release about two weeks ago, today marks the last day in which merchandise licensees will be able to place orders for products using the Chief Illiniwek logo.

So if you’ve been thinking springing for those Chief Illiniwek commemorative golf tees or wanted to pick up those keychains as stocking stuffers for the grandkids, be sure to go to the store today and see if they’re in stock. If they’re not, you have to place your order by end of business today. Otherwise, it’s off to eBay you go for that $200 bronze statue you’ve had your eye on at IUB for years.

So be sure to pick up your piece of history(or racism I guess, whatever floats your boat) today!

In the April 13 edition of The Daily Illini, a guest column by medical student Raymond Morales appeared. Morales had come forward earlier in the month during an ISS meeting and claimed responsibility for chalking the various KKK messages across campus. Most who saw the images felt a bevy of emotions ranging from fear, disgust, embarrassment and anger or were just downright puzzled. During the past month or so (which happened to correspond to the student elections) a major issue around campus was the use of spray-chalk by candidates. However, the story took on a new dimension with the introduction of the KKK. When all the spray-chalk proved to be immensely difficult to remove, most of campus was left to wonder who did all this. It got worse because the chalk persisted during one of the University’s biggest annual events, the Engineering Open House. Some of it can still be found today.

Unfortunately, not many people pay attention to the comings and goings of ISS. When Mr. Morales revealed himself and explained why he did it, few people heard him. And perhaps, some would rather have it stay that way. However, sometimes it is to everyone’s benefit to hear unpopular (enormously, I’d imagine) opinion. Unpopularity breeds debate and hopefully, debate leads to understanding.

While some will surely find Morales’ message revolting and infuriating, I believe removing the mystique around something as evil as the KKK is necessary for everyone to understand the climate in which one would be compelled to remind us of its existence. And while the argument can certainly be made that Morales’ is digging up old dirt, I do believe that it is healthy to continue the dialog between not only different ethnic groups, but also between the past and the present.

You can certainly disagree with Mr. Morales’ M.O. (I do.) but for better or worse, he got peoples’ attention without resorting to violence or breaking any laws and that’s to his credit.

Our job at The Daily Illini is to inform the campus community as best we can about as much as we can. The Opinions page, despite past controversy, is still one of the best places for the campus to express itself. While I do not personally agree with a fair amount of what I end up running each day, one thing this job teaches me constantly is that dissent is a virtue. This particular situation is no different.

The race debate in America shows no sign of slowing down. If you don’t believe me, Don Imus and the Duke Lacrosse team would like to have a word with you. While these controversies are far away, it is important to remember that there are still important issues to deal with here at home. If the publication of this column sparks a productive dialog during one of the most heated periods this institution has ever seen, then perhaps it will be worth weathering the angry reaction.

So please, send me a letter at opinions@dailyillini.com or leave a comment on this blog or on the column itself and we’ll take it from there.

According to signs up around the Union, the line to get into the BOT meeting will start at the north side promptly at 7 A.M. this morning.

With news of two Chief-related resolutions being added at the last minute, it’s safe to assume that this will not be your run of the mill gathering.

If you’re planning to attend today’s event or have already been, please share your thoughts about what went on. I would also like to remind you that if you have a laptop, you can access the wireless network almost anywhere in the building. Feel free to comment on things as they happen and I’ll try to keep up.

And once again, send your letters to opinions@dailyillini.com

Today the DI will print my column advocating that people write-in “Chief Illiniwek” for student trustee. It is not a joke, it is not a ruse. Those who care about the Chief and want to do something about his demise have a very real choice: they can vote for someone who will futilely attempt to restart the debate and call for a vote by the full Board, or they can realize the unlikelihood of that action and vote for the Chief himself.

If elected, the Chief will send a clear statement to the college sports nation that U of I students love their mascot. It will highlight the improprieties of the Board’s process and might force a second vote. More importantly, it will loudly declare that anyone attempting to deep-six the “Fighting Illini” ain’t seen nothin’ yet. They may have taken the Chief from us, and they may keep him from us, but if anyone tries to declare the Fighting Illinois racist or demeaning, there will be a battle.

Personally, the Chief is not my cup of tea. I don’t care about him either way, but I think it is a corruption of democracy for three people to make a binding, consequential decision of this magnitude without even a majority of the voting body present! When Congress attempts such underhanded tactics as this the other party screams foul. Here, however, those who support the Chief, or those who at least do not oppose him, on the board are afraid to make their dissatisfaction with the process known, lest they receive the label of “Pro-Chief.”

Today the battle to save the Chief takes a new approach. The U of I campus can either roll over and play dead, or it can draw on its political mettle and shout to all the Illini past, present, and future: you cannot ignore us and you cannot beat us by cheating. Vote for Chief Illiniwek and make the voice of campus heard!

From a 2/23/07 staff editorial in the Indiana Daily Student:

The University of Illinois ended the reign of its mascot Chief Illiniwek, and, to many fans, an integral part of its sporting experience. The removal of the Chief will allow the university to host postseason sporting events, something it has been banned from doing by the NCAA since 2005 because of the Chief’s presence and his inaccurate portrayal of American Indians. Illiniwek danced his last dance at Illinois’ men’s basketball home victory over Michigan on Wednesday, ending a tradition that spanned more than 80 years. Illinois will retain the nickname Fighting Illini.

We get it. Political correctness is important, especially on a national level and at a time when an inappropriate representation could reach thousands of people. It is unfair to the American Indian population of Illinois and the United States.

But more importantly, if Chief Illiniwek has been fired as the mascot of Illinois, does that mean he’s a free agent? We aren’t sure if everyone else has noticed, but IU doesn’t have a mascot!

Somebody talk to Kelvin Sampson. Whip out that cell phone and start texting the Chief like crazy! You think getting Eric Gordon was big? It will be nothing compared to fan reaction to the Chief. Get coach Hoeppner to point that “We want you” finger at the Chief and his garb. The editorial board is considering calling Illiniwek every hour, on the hour, until he sees that cream and crimson are a better combination than orange and blue any day. It doesn’t matter how it happens. Just get that dancin’ man into our Assembly Hall.

If the Chief refuses to come over to the Indiana, could we at least get any mascot? The eerie emptiness of animals and people in ridiculous looking outfits along the sidelines of Assembly Hall and Memorial Stadium is becoming disheartening. Satellite campuses of IUB have mascots. IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis, for example, have the Jaguars. It’s high time we had a image to go with “Hoosiers.” We have a few suggestions.

For starters, how about a Gene Hackman look-a-like. He led Hickory High School to the state championship in the classic movie “Hoosiers” (based on the amazing run by Milan High School in 1954). It seems like he may get the crowd fired up.

Or maybe we could get a big ear of corn. Nothing incites fear into opposing squads like Orville Redenbacher’s capitalist gold mine. Know that saying “You’re walking like you have a corn cob up your butt?” Well when you come to IU, we’ll make sure you leave walking funny.

But our greatest idea captures the single most memorable event in IU sports history, with all of the rage that comes with being a Hoosier: a giant aluminum chair. Every time the referee makes a bad call, the chair mascot can run into the middle of the court or field and fall on its side, planting itself there in protest.

However, the best bet is to keep calling Chief Illiniwek. We’re already good at stealing players from Illinois. Why not their traditions too?

I feel very conflicted here. On the one hand, I’m not exactly shedding a tear that the Chief is gone. But on the other hand, I can appreciate the extremely strong and heartfelt sentiments Chief supporters feel towards him and the University.

Columnist Dan Mollison wrote on Friday about how this campus needs to come together so we can move on. Pro-Chief or anti-Chief, I think we can all agree that Indiana University smells.

As for their need to find a mascot for their school, I find this:

 

 

True to its motto, “Cross Roads of America” Indiana has more miles of Interstate Highway per square mile than any other state. The Indiana state Motto, can be traced back to the early 1800s. In the early years river traffic, especially along the Ohio, was a major means of transportation. The National Road, a major westward route, and the north-south Michigan Road crossed in Indianapolis. Today more major highways intersect in Indiana than in any other state.

I think they should be henceforth known as the “Asphalters.” The Indiana University Asphalters. Yeah, that has a good ring to it.

Post your thoughts here and if you feel so compelled, send your letters to letters@idsnews.com and opinions@dailyillini.com

(Thanks to Lee Feder for bringing this to our attention)

Since the DI first started reporting that Chief Illiniwek is going to be retired, I’ve received dozens of letters. This is not surprising and frankly, I was expecting it. The Opinions page normally prints around 2000 words a day so quite obviously I will not have space for everything.

That being said, I intend to publish as many letters about the Chief issue as I possibly can. I don’t know how many that will end up being and I don’t know when I will be able to get the physical space in the newspaper. Until then though, I just want to let you readers know that I am reading *all* of your letters. If you would like to send a letter to me, please adhere to the policy below.

Letters Policy

Letters to the editor may be sent via e-mail to opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor” or via mail to Opinions, The Daily Illini, 512 E. Green St., Champaign, IL 61820.Any letter submitted via regular mail must be typed, and all letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number to allow for verification. University students must note their year in school and which college they are in.
No letter may exceed 300 words during the regular school year and 200 words during the summer, and The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit or reject any contributions.

UPDATE: Look for almost 20 letters to appear in the DI tomorrow regarding Chief Illiniwek. Keep sending them in and they will either appear in the print or online edition. There’s a distinct possibility that I will use this blog for overflow in the coming days as “CHIEF ILLINIWEEK” unfolds.

So it looks like Chief Illiniwek will soon be dancing his last fake Indian dance. I blame Colbert.

It’s happening. Tomorrow. What goes down in the next 24 hours will affect the University forever. Post your thoughts. Do your best to keep it civil.