By Dan Bernstein–

CBSChicago.com senior columnist

(CBS) Some powerful people at the University of Illinois are tired of their school being known more for scandal and divisive symbolism than academic excellence.

The player abuse and upheaval in the football program, crime wave in the basketball program and lawsuits regarding mistreatment in women’s basketball and soccer have dragged the school through months of ugly headlines, with the installment of new athletic director Josh Whitman and the subsequent hiring of Lovie Smith the initial steps to move beyond troubled times in sports.

Lately, the story has been about the search for a new mascot, reopening old wounds from the fight to remove the racist image of Chief Illiniwek. The offensive Native American character was officially removed in 2007 after it was determined to be “hostile or abusive” by the NCAA in 2005, but unsanctioned versions of the Chief continue to exist, appearing at games and other university events.

If a faction of the Board of Trustees has its way, however, any student perpetuating the character will soon be subject to penalties pursuant to the standards of conduct, up to and including expulsion.

They want this over — the whole, tired controversy, believing it to be an embarrassment. They feel that a complete and concerted effort to eradicate every last incarnation of the offensive anachronism is a necessary action to move the school beyond a damaging culture war that has distracted from their academic mission and standing, both privately and publicly.

Such is the ongoing conflict that smolders at Illinois, however, and the more intelligent, progressive faction of leadership understands that there will be opposition from the intractable bloc representing retrograde, downstate interests. There are those who will hide behind empty buzzwords like “tradition” and “honor” to fight for what they really want to retain — their right to celebrate a racist mascot.

Nothing comes easily for this school these days, either on the field or off. It’s continually frustrating to at least some in charge that nearly a decade after Chief Illiniwek was properly retired, his stubborn existence still is a point of contention for a state-supported institute of higher learning.

Even if it appears heavy-handed, an administrative crackdown against students portraying and supporting the character has apparently become necessary in the eyes of university leaders who want to be done with the silliness.

Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score’s “Boers and Bernstein Show” in afternoon drive. You can follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.