San Diego State University’s Senate voted overwhelmingly to retire the Aztec mascot Tuesday night, just seven months after student leaders voted to keep it.

The resolution, which is non-binding and is an advisory to the university president, calls to retire the human representation of an Aztec and the use of spears or “weapons that connote barbaric representations of the Aztec culture.”

It also calls for creating a task force to investigate and make recommendations about the appropriateness of the continued usage of the Aztec moniker.

The university Senate — composed of professors, lecturers, a coach, four staff members and administrators —voted 52-15 in favor of the resolution.


The Daily Aztec, SDSU’s student news organization, quoted Senate Chair Marcie Bober-Michel, a professor in the School of Journalism and Media Studies, as saying she was confident the resolution would not be approved by interim university President Sally Roush, but still would send a message and begin a discussion.

There was no immediate comment from Roush’s office. Among the options for Roush is approving the resolution, rejecting it or tabling it for her successor to consider.

Many schools and teams in recent years have dropped mascots that depict different cultures following objections that they are insensitive and racist.

The Aztec mascot has been controversial for years, and the school has responded by making some changes to the image, including dropping the old Monty Montezuma mascot in favor of an Ambassador Montezuma in 2002.


The ambassador did not go over well, however, and the school adopted a modified Aztec Warrior two years later.

While seen as more authentic than Monty Montezuma, some still found the image of a person dressed in the adornments of another culture offensive.

In April, the SDSU Associated Students council rejected a resolution to phase out the Aztec logo and mascot in a 14-12 vote. The resolution had been proposed Native American Student Alliance.

SDSU teams have been known as the Aztecs for more than 90 years.


According to the The Daily Aztec, the origin of a mascot dressed as ancient Aztec ruler Montezuma II has been traced to halftime of a 1941 football game.


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kirk.kenney@sduniontribune.com / on Twitter: @sdutkirKDKenney