October 26, 2007
North Dakota and NCAA Agree to Settlement
School Retains Fighting Sioux Nickname For At Least Three Years
CHN Staff Report
After the NCAA's 2005 ruling to ban offensive Native American nicknames and mascots, the State of North Dakota and the University of North Dakota filed a lawsuit against the NCAA. Now, the two parties have agreed to a settlement regarding the policy which specifically prohibited Native American mascots and imagery at its championships.
Under the terms which were announced Friday morning, the University of North Dakota must obtain approval from the Spirit Lake Tribe and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to continue using their current Fighting Sioux nickname, logo, and imagery. The Spirit Lake Tribe and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe have significant presence in the state of North Dakota, and approval must be obtained from both tribes within three years. Otherwise, the University of North Dakota — which has been decidedly steadfast in its stance since the initial NCAA ruling against nicknames deemed "hostile and offensive" — will have to transition to a new nickname and logo.
"This settlement treats UND like all other schools," said Bernard Franklin, NCAA Senior Vice-President for Governance, Membership, Education and Research Services. "If UND cannot secure namesake tribe approval, it will either transition to a new nickname and logo, or it will be subject to the policy."
Friday's settlement comes almost a year after a district state judge in Grand Forks, N.D., issued an injunction that allowed North Dakota to continue using the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo in NCAA events. At that time, Judge Lawrence Jahnke pushed the impending trial back to Dec. 10, 2007, urging that the two parties agree to a settlement out of court.
Now, the settlement between the NCAA and North Dakota rests on the input of the Native American tribes in the state.
Said Franklin, "One fundamental purpose of the policy was and is to listen to the Native American community, and the NCAA sought input from them during the settlement negotiations. The settlement confirms that the Sioux people — and no one else — should decide whether and how their name should be used."
The North Dakota Fighting Sioux (2-0-1) have advanced to three of the last four NCAA Frozen Fours.
Last I checked, the Sioux are not defending WCHA Champions and have advanced to three of the last four NCAA Frozen Fours.
Oct 26 2007, 1:32 pm by
All true, thanks.
Oct 26 2007, 1:37 pm by CHN Editor
they play hockey in North Dakota? I thought that the government used that land to test pestecides and drugs on the crops because i drove through there once and there were no people. i was pretty freaked out i didnt see a single town
Oct 30 2007, 2:47 pm by Nick, Denver
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