Agreement struck in mascot sit-in

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- University of Illinois officials announced Friday they reached an agreement with protesters to end a 32-hour sit-in at the school's main administration building. The deal clears the way for protesters to discuss the issue of Chief Illiniwek with some state legislators later this month.

The group of roughly 40 protesters took over the building early Thursday to demand that the school eliminate its mascot and associated Indian-head symbol.

The resolution to end the sit-in was announced at a joint press conference in front of the Swanlund Administration building. Coalition members are expected to meet April 27 in Springfield with three legislators, including Senate President Emil Jones.

Members of the coalition, which includes students, alumni, faculty and local residents, also plan to meet with state Rep. Edward J. Acevedo, state Sen. Miguel del Valle, the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus and the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.

The protesters, who took over the building early Thursday, left it in good condition, according to a statement from the school.

School officials had locked the building and posted two police officers in front during the occupation. Administration staff were forced to relocate to nearby campus offices on Friday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, University of Illinois senior and coalition spokesman Lian Alan stressed that while the agreement ended the group's occupation of the building, no consensus had been reached on the mascot issue.

The protesters reached a separate agreement over the telephone Friday with university trustee Frances Carroll of Chicago to put the mascot issue to a vote at the board's June meeting, Alan and Carroll said.

Carroll said the coalition deserves a response from the trustees.

"We want to try to come to a reasonable solution to this whole debate and give all parties an opportunity to talk." Carroll said. "The tension is so high that we really have to make a decision to attack this issue and get it off the docket."

Coalition members said they have three demands: immediate elimination of the Chief mascot, dance and symbol; a formal apology to anyone offended by the Chief; and increased funding for Native American and other minority programs on the Urbana-Champaign campus.

Chief Illiniwek has divided the school's main campus for years, with supporters arguing the Chief is an honored symbol and others saying the mascot is racially offensive.

In an advisory referendum held as part of the campus' student government election last month, more than two-thirds of the 13,000 students who voted said they favored keeping the Chief. The campus has more than 38,000 students.