I am grateful beyond words to the 2018 task force members.
I gave the utmost consideration to their work. I note with deep respect and much empathy their divided opinions on the issue of the Aztec Warrior. With thanks and great respect for the 2018 task force members and all voices expressed in any manner, I have made the following decisions:
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. Its use will be unfailingly informed and guided by the wisdom of the 2018 task force expressed in this quote: We will “effectively embrace and teach positive elements of what is known about the Aztec Empire and its people.” In so doing, we will rely explicitly on the Aztec civilization’s three pillars of Knowledge, Strength and Prowess, and Giving Back to Community.
Further, as a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution on the U.S.-Mexico border, SDSU will exert its unique capabilities to responsibly “honor the many indigenous people of the region.” We will formalize a strong “educational program that situates indigenous contributions – ancient, historic, and contemporary – into the education of all students through the retention of the moniker.”
“Aztec” will continue to be the name we associate with our university. We will, however, make changes to honor the Aztec culture, relying on our considerable capacity to create and deliver appropriate programmatic and educational material. Most importantly, we will focus on and correct the longstanding “lack of engagement with other indigenous groups locally and with the history of the Aztec Empire.”
The Aztec Warrior, similarly a source of pride for the collective majority, will be retained, but as Spirit Leader, not mascot. There will be immediate and visible changes in demeanor to achieve a respectful portrayal of a powerful figure from Aztec culture. We will undertake an effort to assess whether to add other meaningful symbols, marks or representations, including historically accurate animal symbols that capture the intellectual sophistication, power and bravery of the Aztec civilization.
In this regard, the issue of the spear was raised in the Senate resolution. The 2018 task force members concurred that the spear is an image of the warrior culture and that they understood that the offense relative to its use in our Athletics logo is its correlation to war. The task force said:
“Symbols are inherently ambiguous and rest not on consensus of their meaning but rather on a shared range of meanings that are recognized by members of a culture group. The (task force) does not find the spear an inherently negative image and recognizes it as an important symbol of the Aztec Empire along with the atlatl, shield, obsidian knives, and other such paraphernalia of warrior culture. If the university chooses to retain it, the (task force) recommends that this be done alongside the appropriate and respectful use of other utilitarian symbols that define the Aztec emphasis
Brian Bennett@GBrianBennett
