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MAY 16, 2001

San Diego State University President Stephen L. Weber on Tuesday announced the school will be dropping its "Monty Montezuma" mascot American Indian and Mexican students consider offensive.

Beginning immediately, said Weber, the school will gradually phase-out its existing logo that purports to depict the Aztec leader Montezuma. No new merchandise that contains the red-faced logo will be produced, he ordered, but the school will continue to sell current supplies.

Perhaps more importantly, the school's human mascot will be dropped. Currently, the mascot appears at school events wearing a headdress adorned with feathers and a skull and holding a spear and shield.

Weber has previously said such a depiction was probably not accurate. Yesterday, he compared it to the school's "inappropriate and offensive" original mascot, who debuted in 1941 at a homecoming game and chased women around a teepee.

Now, Weber will "elevate" the mascot to the school's official "Aztec Ambassador." A culturally appropriate Montezuma will attend sports events but will not be a cheerleader, said Weber, and will no longer be referred to as "Monty."

"The decisions I am announcing today are not about doing what's popular," said Weber. "The question here is what is right."

Weber's decision follows the recommendations of a task force he convened last year to discuss the issue. It also represents one of the quickest actions a school has ever made on a mascot: while public and private educational institutions have wrestled with their Indian-related logos, mascots, and nicknames for sometimes years, SDSU took action immediately on complaints raised by Native American students about the mascot.

In October of last year, Native students began the drive to re-evaluate the school's Aztec identity. Other students and alumni overwhelmingly supported keeping the Aztec identity and related logos, however.

In November, Weber said the school would keep its "Aztec" affiliation. His panel composed of students, alumni, faculty, and Indian, Hispanic, and other community members earlier this month recommended getting rid of the mascot and other inappropriate representations of Montezuma.

In contrast, controversies at higher institutions like the University of North Dakota, with its "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo, and the University of Illinois, which has a "Chief Illiniwek" mascot, continue.

School official said complete removal of existing Montezuma logos will be finished by fall of 2003. Included is replacing the surface of the basketball court in Cox Arena.

Relevant Links:
Mascots and logos, San Diego State University - http://www.sdsu.edu/identity/images.html
Aztec Identity Information, San Diego State University - http://www.sdsu.edu/identity

Related Stories:
School panel recommends change to 'Aztec' mascot (5/3)
'Fighting Sioux' debate rages on (2/19)
School to keep Aztec affiliation (11/17)

Student Opinions:
Sean Clark: Monty is good for Native Americans (The Daily Aztec 10/10)
Human race should unite to eliminate Monty (The Daily Aztec 10/11)