The University Board of Trustees and the Honor the Chief Society, Inc. have come to a settlement agreement, ending a five-year dispute over the Chief Illiniwek trademark.
In 2009, the Honor the Chief Society filed an application to register the trademark Chief Illiniwek in connection with dance and educational services, as well as community festivals, including sporting events. The University filed in opposition to this application.
After the new agreement is finalized, Honor the Chief must abandon its first application and agree not to fill out any other trademark applications consisting of the term Chief Illiniwek.
According to the new agreement, the University cannot object to the term “Chief” in “Honor the Chief Society.” The University also cannot object, but does not approve, sponsor or endorse, the Society’s events that honor the history of Chief Illiniwek or the Society advocating the reinstatement of Chief Illiniwek as the official symbol of the University.
The events can include a performance that is a choreographed tribute to the dance that was performed by previous chiefs, as long as the events comply with the terms of the agreement and University policies.
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The Society will not be allowed to use the term “Chief Illiniwek” or the Chief logo. The Society also cannot refer to people as Chief Illiniwek or say they are the next Chief Illiniwek.
Finally, the Society must include this disclaimer on its website: “The Honor the Chief Society is not sponsored, licensed, approved or endorsed by the University of Illinois.”
Roger Huddleston, member of the Honor the Chief Society, said he is very satisfied with the agreement.
“Basically, we have to make it known that all of our actions are not supported by the University of Illinois,” Huddleston said. “It gives us a right to promote the Chief’s traditions.”
The agreement was signed by Huddleston on Oct. 14 and by University Board of Trustees Comptroller Walter Knorr on Oct. 23.
“We are happy that our trademark and our logo are being protected,” Robin Kaler, campus spokeswoman said.
The Board of Trustees announced in February 2007 that Chief Illiniwek would no longer be a symbol of the University or perform at University events, according to the Honor the Chief Society’s website.
