San Diego State University is a well-known institution located in San Diego, California. One interesting aspect of the university is its mascot, which is an important symbol representing the institution's spirit. The current mascot of San Diego State University is a Aztec Warrior, however, there has been controversy surrounding the mascot's name. The current name of the mascot is Monty Montezuma, but there have been calls to change it. Monty Montezuma has been the university's mascot since 2003, and the name is meant to honor the Aztec civilization that once inhabited the region. However, some argue that the mascot and its name are culturally insensitive and perpetuate stereotypes.

A.S. Government Resources

However, some argue that the mascot and its name are culturally insensitive and perpetuate stereotypes. They believe that the name Monty Montezuma is offensive and does not accurately represent the culture it is trying to pay tribute to. As a result, there have been ongoing discussions and debates about potentially changing the mascot's name.

Legislation & Resolutions
Associated Students | San Diego State University

Resolution To Retire The San Diego State University Mascot And Moniker

AUTHOR: STUDENT DIVERSITY COMMISSION

WHEREAS, people of all cultures, ethnicities, and religions have a right to be treated with dignity and respect; and

WHEREAS, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that: “It prohibits the discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal assistance;” 1 and

WHEREAS, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, programs and activities that receive Federal funds must operate in a non-discriminatory manner; and

WHEREAS, the State of California’s Education Code Title 1, Division 1, Part 1, Chapter 2, Article 3 [220] states: “No person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of…nationality, race or ethnicity…or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance or enrolls pupils who receive state student financial aid;” and

WHEREAS, the State of California’s Education Code Title 1, Division 1, Part 1, Chapter 2, Article 3.5 [221.2] states: “(a) The use of racially derogatory or discriminatory school or athletic team names, mascots, or nicknames in California public schools is antithetical to the California school mission of providing an equal education to all; (b) Certain athletic team names, mascots, and nicknames that have been used and remain in use by other teams, including school teams, in other parts of the nation are discriminatory in singling out the Native American community for the derision to which mascots or nicknames are often subjected; (c) Many individuals and organizations interested and experienced in human relations, including the United States Commission on Civil Rights, have concluded that the use of Native American images and names in school sports is a barrier to equality and understanding, and that all residents of the United States would benefit from the discontinuance of their use; (d) No individual or school has a cognizable interest in retaining a racially derogatory or discriminatory school or athletic team name, mascot, or nickname;” and

WHEREAS, Executive Order 1097 from the Office of the chancellor of the California State University system states: “The California State University (CSU) is committed to maintaining an inclusive community that values diversity and fosters tolerance and mutual respect”, and further goes on to state that “The CSU strives to be free of all forms of Discrimination, including Harassment, because of a Protected Status. It is CSU policy that no Student shall be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, any CSU program or activity because of any Protected Status,” 2 with examples of Protected Status including race or ethnicity; and

WHEREAS, the United States Commission on Civil Rights, by Resolution dated April 13, 2001, called for an end to the use of American Indian images and team names by schools: “The stereotyping of any racial, ethnic, religious or other groups when promoted by our public educational institutions, teach all students that stereotyping of minority groups is acceptable, a dangerous lesson in a diverse society. Schools have a responsibility to educate their students; they should not use their influence to perpetuate misrepresentations of any culture or people;” 3 and

WHEREAS, in 2005, the American Psychological Association called for “the immediate retirement of all American Indian mascots, symbols, images and personalities by schools, colleges, universities, athletic teams and organizations,” based on “a growing body of social science literature that shows the harmful effects of racial stereotyping and inaccurate racial portrayals, including the particularly harmful effects of American Indian sports mascots on the social identity development and self-esteem of American Indian young people;” 4 and

WHEREAS, native symbols and mascots have been used, but then later acknowledged as inappropriate and retired by institutions of higher learning including the following: Dartmouth College, Eastern Michigan University, Marquette University, Seattle University, Southern Oregon University, Southwestern Community College, Stanford University, Syracuse University, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, University of Oklahoma; University of Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State University, and the University of North Dakota; and

WHEREAS, more than 100 organizations across the nation have endorsed the discontinuation of Native American mascots, including: National Congress of American Indians, the National Indian Education Association, Oregon Indian Education Association, the Society of Indian Psychologists, the Anti-Defamation League, , United States Civil Rights Commission, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), American Jewish Committee, Museum of Tolerance, National Education Association (NEA), California Teachers Association (CTA), University of California Student Association (UCSA),; and

WHEREAS, San Diego State University’s institutional identity is, at present, comprised in large part of the “Aztec” moniker and the “Aztec Warrior” mascot based on a racialized stereotype of Native Americans; and

WHEREAS, the research featured in a San Diego State University graduate student’s thesis, entitled, Fail Montezuma!: The Last Vestiges of an Obscured Yet Stubbornly Persistent Culture of Racism at San Diego State University, reveals the history of how white supremacy, racism, and ignorance in general shaped the formation of SDSU’s present-day historically inaccurate institutional identity, and how that institutional identity causes some students and faculty to inadvertently condone racist imagery such as “red face” in the name of the “school spirit” and

WHEREAS, San Diego State University’s Policy file, in section 4.4 states: “The university shall cultivate a campus climate that promotes human dignity, civility, and mutual appreciation for the uniqueness of each member of our community. Because the university’s educational goals are founded on the values of intellectual honesty, appreciation for diversity, and mutual respect, it is critical that our academic and co-curricular programs, scholarships, courses, workshops, lectures, and other aspects of campus life reflect diverse perspectives. Freedom from discrimination, harassment, and violence against persons or property is a basic right and is requisite for learning…. By the same token, the campus community shall denounce and confront acts of intolerance, abusive behaviors, and the beliefs and past events that have separated us as a people; and

WHEREAS, in 2005, the NCAA adopted a policy to prohibit NCAA colleges and universities from displaying hostile and abusive racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, nicknames or imagery at any of the 88 NCAA championships and San Diego State University eluded the ban by committing an act of intellectual dishonesty, specifically when then-President Stephen Weber said “the Aztecs are not a Native American or American Indian culture…However, the Aztecs are central to the cultural heritage of Mexico,” 5 thereby claiming that Mexico is not part of North America; and

WHEREAS, between 2010 and 2012, San Diego State University employed the use of a separate mascot, Zuma the Jaguar, as a “sidekick” to the “Aztec Warrior” to entertain children at football and basketball games, and so precedent exists of employing an alternate mascot identity; 6 and

WHEREAS, San Diego State University’s Diversity and Inclusion Pledge calls on students, faculty and staff to pledge “To embrace the diversity of all individuals respecting such attributes as their sex, gender, race, ethnicity, age, class, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, nationality, socioeconomic status, religion, physical ability, mental ability and expression; To strive toward social justice for all people in order to create and sustain a safer, more productive, and inclusive campus environment; To refrain from using derogatory terms or statements that are harmful and disrespectful to others; To not contribute to stereotypes or make generalizations about individuals but rather to use my own experiences and interactions to better understand and embrace all people; To educate myself about cultures other than my own; To engage in and contribute to the diverse world around me; To actively honor this pledge within my everyday life;” 7 and

WHEREAS, Native American students, faculty, administrators and staff are members of “our community;” and so

LET IT BE RESOLVED, that San Diego State University immediately acknowledge the history behind its institutional identity, how it was shaped by white supremacy and racism, that Mexico is on the continent of North America and so Aztecs are native Americans, thus this institutional identity is completely incongruent with its professed ideals and principles, and that San Diego State University and all its auxiliary and affiliated organizations will put an end, “with all deliberate speed,” 8 to the intellectual dishonesty of historical inaccuracy and cultural misappropriation of the Aztec civilization and culture through ceasing the use of the term “Aztec” in any and all future naming, promotional materials, events and efforts henceforth; and that the “Aztec Warrior” mascot and moniker be authentically and immediately retired.

LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the San Diego State University president create a planning group or committee of San Diego State University students, faculty, and staff to phase out over three to five years all current names, symbols, signage and references which stem from the misappropriation of the “Aztec” and Aztec culture in 1925 (such as the names of residence halls, Calpulli Health Center, events such as Templo del Sol, conference rooms and halls such as Templo Mayor and Montezuma Hall, and “Aztec” branded programs, including but not limited to: Aztec Nights, Aztec Proud, Aztec Mentor Program, Aztec Achievement Awards, Aztec Dance Marathon, and others).

LET IT BE RESOLVED, that San Diego State University choose and accept a new, non-human mascot, such as an animal indigenous or well-known to this region of California 9 during that planning group or committee.

LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the “Aztec” statue (aka “Monty”) be immediately retired and that the reproduction of said statue in front of the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center be immediately retired.

LET IT BE RESOLVED, that San Diego State University prepare educational material which outlines the truth of the history behind this institutional identity, and why it had to be retired, and offer it for free to the public.

References

1. The United States Department of Justice, https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI-Overview.
2. http://www.calstate.edu/EO/EO-1097-rev-6-23-15.html.
3. Statement of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on the Use of Native American Images and Nicknames as Sports Symbols, http://www.usccr.gov/press/archives/2001/041601st.htm.
4. Summary of the APA Resolution Recommending Retirement of American Indian Mascots, http://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/indian-mascots.aspx. The former president of the APA, Dr. Ronald F. Levant has stated, “The use of American Indian mascots as symbols in schools and university athletic programs is particularly troubling because schools are places of learning. These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and too often, insulting images of American Indians. These negative lessons are not just affecting American Indian students; they are sending the wrong message to all students.”
5. Brent Schrotenboer, “NCAA puts limited ban on Indian mascots,” The San Diego Union-Tribune, August 6, 2005, http://legacy.sandiegouniontribune.com/uniontrib/20050806/news_1s6mascots.html. It was determined that because there was no organized tribe or group of Aztec people, the ban would not apply to SDSU. However, the descendants of the Aztec continue to exist today in Mexico; they are the Nahua people. “Colleges and universities may adopt any mascot that they wish, as that is an institutional matter. But as as national association, we believe that mascots, nicknames or images deemed hostile or abusive of terms of race, ethnicity or national origin should not be visible at the championship events that we control.”
6. Brent Schrotenboer, “SDSU fires cuddly mascot,” The San Diego Union-Tribune, March 29, 2012, accessed February 24, 2017, http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sdut-sdsu-fires-cartoon-mascot-zuma-2012mar29-story.html.
7. Diversity and Inclusion Pledge, http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/lead/pledge_diversity.aspx, last accessed February 24, 2017. On the website, there is a box that states, “The Diversity & Inclusion Pledge signifies your individual commitment to diversity and inclusion at San Diego State University. Diversity is more than being aware of the differences of all people, but embracing them as well as actively creating a campus that supports and understands the diversity of its students. By signing this pledge, you reinforce a lifelong commitment to diversity, inclusion, social justice and action.”
8. In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (2), the Court determined that the Brown (1) decision of 1954 shall be implemented “with all deliberate speed.” The Court held that the problems identified in Brown (1) required varied local solutions. Chief Justice Warren conferred much responsibility on local school authorities and the courts which originally heard school segregation cases. They were to implement the principles which the Supreme Court embraced in its first Brown decision. Chief Justice Earl Warren urged localities to act on the new principles promptly and to move toward full compliance with them “with all deliberate speed.” In other words, the Warren Court determined that schools must implement the rulings as quickly as possible, with no intentional delays.
9. Animals indigenous or well-known to this region include: the mountain lion (also known as the puma or cougar), red-tail hawks (from the Raptor family), rattlesnakes, and foxes.

Not a Mascot

This past week, the Associated Students at San Diego State University voted to stay the Aztecs, a close decision of 14-12 shedding light on the polarizing issue that has plagued SDSU for decades. “Aztecs,” a name decided on by a committee in 1924, represents a part of SDSU’s history, sports legacy and school pride. However, concerns regarding the extent of appropriation, ignorance and indifference to American Indian history remain equally constant, indicating a divide between those who believe that a name change is too “politically correct” or financially impossible and those who see change as necessary and imminent. Ultimately, by keeping the name “Aztecs,” SDSU is prioritizing tradition and brand security over Native American cultural competence. The school ought to use its role as a powerful academic institution to educate and vocalize concerns regarding appropriation.

According to SDSU lecturer Ozzie Monge of the American Indian Studies department, the Aztec mascot is a relic from a time when “white supremacy was treated as fact.” In fact, the first time a student dressed up as Monty Montezuma, SDSU’s mascot from 1941 to 2000, was during homecoming, when a student ran onto the field from a teepee, chasing women clad in buckskin. In 2000, the official mascot became the “Aztec warrior,” retiring Monty Montezuma from its revered pedestal in a decision which redirects and writes off the actual issue of appropriation. Despite an NCAA Native American mascot ban, multiple student petitions over many years, and several campus referendums, the name “Aztec” has held strong. Many who proudly adorn themselves in “redface” are quick to point out that their representation of Aztec culture is one rooted in “valor” and “strength.” Similar statements have been made by SDSU President Elliot Hirshman, who wrote that the university’s affiliation with the Aztecs is one reflecting the virtues of the culture. Those in favor of keeping the name lack two fundamental pieces of cultural sharing: historical accuracy and understanding.

For one, the name is geographically incorrect. The Aztecs were located in central Mexico, never the Southwest. To perpetuate this idea that Aztecs were a part of the Wild West history is absurd both as a matter of cultural ignorance and academic grounds. Furthermore, as we consider the mascot’s reduction of Indigenous people to mere objects suitable for pride during sporting events, as well as the student body’s adorning of war bonnets and capturing of the Aztec warrior as something primitive and underdeveloped, it becomes evident that such traditions promote the “noble savage” stereotype. Depicting American Indians as an icon of the American past results in what is commonly referred to “historical amnesia” in reference to the nostalgic idealization of colonialism. While there are no remaining descendants of the Aztecs, trivializing the culture through perpetuating ignorance misrepresents and dehumanizes Indian Americans today, cementing their label as an “other” and ignoring their modern day predicaments.

Many opponents of this change in mascot have argued that its economic effect will be downward, even disastrous for SDSU. However, previous examples of universities shifting their mascots away from Native American imagery — a large number, given the NCAA’s 2005 ban — have proven to yield a range of financial effects, many of them being beneficial in the long run. According to a study conducted by Emory University, the prediction for a university who changes their mascot away from something initially referencing Native American culture entails a one-to-two-year period of immediate negative effects, followed by positive returns whose roots are multi-faceted.

Take Carthage College in Wisconsin, one of the colleges to rebrand after the NCAA prohibited usage of “ Indian nicknames, mascots, logos and other imagery at postseason events,” according to ESPN. As pointed out in a marketing analysis by Patrick Hruby, the short-term negative effects and $100,000 cost of breaking tradition ultimately had no lasting effect on alumni support and donations. While a change in mascot may deter some alumni, it would certainly engage those who have previously refrained from supporting the university’s teams due to a mascot described by many as insensitive.

Claims that this move is financially irresponsible serve to oversimplify the well-documented fluctuating effects of re-branding within college sports. Conclusively, integral to the decision of whether or not to rebrand is the necessity of having something new to replace the old. As emphasized in a report following changes of university mascots from Native American monikers to otherwise following the NCAA restrictions, those who failed to replace their retired brands with new ones suffered the most. In short, SDSU’s decision alone won’t signal a prosperous or dismal future for its athletics’ brand, and such a complex endeavor shouldn’t be treated as having foreseeable results.

Oversimplification of financial effect aside, the dialogue surrounding rebranding illustrates that many would rather write criticism of the mascot off as oversensitivity. As alumnus and chair of SDSU’s Fowler College of Business remarked, “Today, too often politically correctness goes overboard.” In a similar vein, SDSU’s Executive Associate Athletics Director’s description of the Aztec “logo” as sacred in the weight and conditioning room reduces the “[strength] of the Aztec people” to commercial usage rather than a conveyance of Aztec culture. Such reactions to the calls for name change are examples, as co-author of the proposed resolution Marissa Mendoza stated, of “a majority [telling] a minority how they feel and [putting a price on their oppression].” In a broader sense, the stark opposition to a change in brand — and the refusal to see criticism of an existing brand as more than “political correctness” — signals that adherence to recent tradition outweighs openness to ongoing dialogue. The decision to keep the Aztec name indicates both a lack of empathy regarding cultural tokening and misrepresentation, and a lack of dialogue regarding the financial concerns. Ultimately, SDSU can and should respect its history as an institution without perpetuating its tired and offensive traditions.

Quinn Pieper // Opinion Editor

Aarthi Venkat // Associate Editor

SDSU to Keep Aztec Name and Warrior with ‘Respectful’ Changes

San Diego State University President Sally Roush announced Thursday that she has decided to keep the university’s Aztec moniker and iconic Aztec Warrior, but the latter would be a “spirit leader” instead of a mascot.

“The use of the Aztec moniker will continue. It is a source of pride for the collective majority of those who responded to the surveys or volunteered their views,” she said in a letter to the SDSU community.

The university has taken steps to address these concerns, including forming a mascot task force to gather feedback and explore potential options for a new name. Ultimately, the main idea here is that there is controversy surrounding the current name of San Diego State University's mascot, Monty Montezuma, and there are ongoing efforts to find a name that better represents the university's values and respects the culture it is meant to honor..

Reviews for "Unveiling the New San Diego State Mascot Name"

- Rebecca - 2 stars

I really didn't like the choice of San Diego State's mascot name. I found it offensive and culturally appropriative. As someone with Native American heritage, I feel that using indigenous names and symbols as sports mascots is disrespectful and perpetuates harmful stereotypes. I believe that college sports teams should choose names and mascots that celebrate diversity and unity, rather than belittling certain groups. It's time for institutions like San Diego State to reconsider their mascot choices and show respect for indigenous cultures.

- Jonathan - 1 star

I was extremely disappointed when I heard about San Diego State's mascot name. Not only is it offensive, but it also shows a lack of creativity and originality. There are so many other options for a mascot name that could have been chosen, and yet they decided to go with a name that appropriates another culture. It's disrespectful and insensitive. I hope that San Diego State realizes the impact of their choice and decides to make a change for the better.

- Sarah - 2 stars

San Diego State's choice of mascot name was a huge letdown for me. It feels like they took the easy way out and went for a name that has been used countless times before. It lacks originality and fails to represent the uniqueness of the university. I believe that mascot names should be carefully chosen to reflect the values and spirit of the institution. Unfortunately, San Diego State missed the mark with their choice, and it's disappointing to see them settle for something so unremarkable.

Behind the Scenes: Naming the San Diego State Mascot