The Chief Illiniwek controversy will be resolved – one way or the other – sometime in 2007, UI officials say.

Lawrence Eppley, chairman of the UI Board of Trustees, said in his opening remarks Thursday that the Chief issue is one of the board's goals this year.

"(It's) time to finish the work of our consensus process and bring to a conclusion the matter of Chief Illiniwek, so that the university can be removed from the list of NCAA policy violators, move our institution forward and allow our student athletes to compete at the highest levels and free of sanctions."

Later, UI spokesman Tom Hardy said that's in line with what Eppley has been saying all along, but added, "Something will happen this year."

Professor Vernon Burton, chair of the campus Senate Executive Committee, said he was "extremely encouraged" by Eppley's statement.

"I have great faith in them keeping their word," he said of the trustees.

"Our concern is the climate is not going to get better," Burton added, mentioning the racist threats posted on a Web site and made against an American Indian student last semester.

In the meantime, Burton said, President Joseph White and Chancellor Richard Herman are "under attack about this issue, even though it's outside their jurisdiction."

Burton acknowledged that "resolution" of the Chief issue may not be what faculty want. UI faculty have called for elimination of the controversial UI symbol.