INDIANAPOLIS -- Catawba College can keep its Indians
nickname without penalties, having shown it has the support of the
Catawba Indian Nation.
But the NCAA ruled Tuesday the North Carolina school can use
only the nickname Catawba Indians instead of Indians.
The decision means the North Carolina school will not be
prohibited from hosting NCAA tournament games or using its
nickname, mascot or imagery at NCAA championship events.
"Although the NCAA executive committee continues to believe the
stereotyping of Native Americans is wrong, it recognizes that a
Native American tribe is a distinct political community," NCAA
senior vice president Bernard Franklin said. "Therefore, [it]
respects the authority of the tribe to permit universities and
colleges to use its name and imagery."
Franklin noted disagreements remained among tribal leaders
whether the nickname Indians should be used at all. But in this
case, Franklin said, the NCAA deferred to the Catawba tribe.
Two weeks ago, the NCAA added William & Mary to a list of eight
offenders because the logo of the Virginia school includes two
feathers even though it said the nickname Tribe was not necessarily
abusive, hostile or offensive.
In April, the NCAA denied an appeal by North Dakota to continue
using its nickname Fighting Sioux even though one tribal leader
sent a letter to the review committee in support of the nickname.
Franklin noted then that another tribal letter was sent in
opposition.
Five schools -- Catawba, Central Michigan (Chippewas), Florida
State (Seminoles), Mississippi College (Choctaws) and the
University of Utah (Utes) -- have won appeals after each showed it
had the approval of local tribes to use the nickname.
Eight schools, including Illinois (Fighting Illini), still face
sanctions. Four of the violators -- Arkansas State, Indiana
University of Pennsylvania, McMurry University in Texas, and
Newberry (S.C.) College -- use the nickname Indians. The other
schools still on the list are Alcorn State (Braves), North Dakota
and William & Mary.
Five schools have changed or agreed to change their nicknames:
Carthage College in Wisconsin, Chowan College in North Carolina,
the University of Louisiana-Monroe, Midwestern State in Texas and
Southeastern Oklahoma State.
Bradley University in Illinois is the nation's only school on a
watch list since the NCAA's new policy took effect last August.
During the next five years, the NCAA will monitor the use of the
school's Braves nickname and its imagery.