Has been released at http://chancellor.illinois.edu/NativeImageryReport.html
The use of this commission was classic politics. Here is what I think happened. The Chancellor hired his long-time friend, Eric Jolly, as a consultant and to chair the commission. Jolly, of course, as all wise consultants do, first checked with his employer and friend, to assure what the desired outcome should be. Commissioners were named with the desired weighted ratio of anti-Chief to pro-Chief members. Good faith suggestions to retain any Native American Imagery, even acknowledging the Chief would not be coming back, were dismissed out of hand. Suggestions to delay the release of the report, pending further discussions of what would come next, were ignored. The entire exercise was a truly disingenuous ploy by the Chancellor. The commission members were misled and used. It all reflects poorly on the Chancellor and those surrounding him. In my opinion, even though his actions achieved his desired short-term results, they will, in the long term, degrade his legacy as Chancellor, and further add to an ignominious history of recent U of I leadership. I expect some major blow-back from this effort that was supposed to lead to "healing and reconcilliation."
The use of this commission was classic politics. Here is what I think happened. The Chancellor hired his long-time friend, Eric Jolly, as a consultant and to chair the commission. Jolly, of course, as all wise consultants do, first checked with his employer and friend, to assure what the desired outcome should be. Commissioners were named with the desired weighted ratio of anti-Chief to pro-Chief members. Good faith suggestions to retain any Native American Imagery, even acknowledging the Chief would not be coming back, were dismissed out of hand. Suggestions to delay the release of the report, pending further discussions of what would come next, were ignored. The entire exercise was a truly disingenuous ploy by the Chancellor. The commission members were misled and used. It all reflects poorly on the Chancellor and those surrounding him. In my opinion, even though his actions achieved his desired short-term results, they will, in the long term, degrade his legacy as Chancellor, and further add to an ignominious history of recent U of I leadership. I expect some major blow-back from this effort that was supposed to lead to "healing and reconcilliation."
