U. may have to yield Ute nickname

The University of Utah — nickname: the Utes — is one of 18 schools targeted Friday by the NCAA for using Indian imagery or references in their logos and for their mascots.

As a result of a new NCAA policy announced Friday, if any U. athletic team wants to host a championship tournament after Feb. 1, 2006, the school may have to cover up or silence any Native American image or reference, and possibly nix the nickname Utes.

The NCAA wants the schools to follow "model" institutions like the University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin, which don't use any Native American mascots or imagery.

After a meeting Friday in Indianapolis, the NCAA's Executive Committee announced it will also prohibit colleges and universities from using Native American mascots, nicknames and imagery at any of the 88 NCAA championships, effective Aug. 1, 2008.

"It doesn't come as a real shock to me," U. President Michael Young said of the NCAA's decision.

The U. is taking a "wait and see" approach until it receives an official report from the NCAA, according to a statement from Liz Abel, U. associate athletics director. The U. may have to replace any drum and feather logos with the block U., but there otherwise should be no significant impact at the U., according to Abel.

However, Florida State University President T.K. Wetherell stated on the school's athletics Web page that FSU — nicknamed the Seminoles — is "stunned" by the NCAA committee's "complete lack of appreciation for cultural diversity. . . ."

The NCAA committee is made up of school presidents and chancellors, who said colleges and universities cannot display "hostile and abusive racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, nicknames or imagery" at NCAA championship events.

Committee chairman and University of Hartford President Walter Harrison said colleges and universities can adopt any mascot they wish, but if they want to play in any NCAA championship event, they cannot show mascots, nicknames or images the NCAA deems hostile or abusive.

Forrest Cuch, a member of the Ute tribe and executive director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, said he supports the "spirit and intent" of the NCAA's new policy.

Still, "I just hope they will be open to some looser interpretation," Cuch said over the phone. "In the case of the University of Utah, the intent is not to insult or misrepresent," added Cuch. The university, he said, has exercised discretion and consulted the tribe on a regular basis on the use of the nickname.