The North Dakota Board of Higher Education has set a timeline for resolving the long-festering controversy over the University of North Dakota’s “Fighting Sioux” nickname and logo, the Grand Forks Herald reported.

The plan, approved today, deals with conditions set last October in an agreement to settle a lawsuit against the university by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. That agreement gave the university until November 30, 2010, to obtain approval of the mascot from the two prominent Sioux tribes in the state, or to adopt a new logo and mascot that would comply with an NCAA policy forbidding “abusive or hostile” American Indian imagery.

Under the timeline set today, the chancellor of the state-university system will form a committee by January 2009 to meet with tribal leaders and seek their approval. If that approval does not appear to be forthcoming by January 2010, the university will form a transition team to prepare for changing the name and logo by the November deadline.

Even if the logo must go, however, the 2010 deadline may not be the last time the emblem appears on team uniforms or in other contexts. A board lawyer said a further transition period continues until August 15, 2011, for the change to be completed. —Charles Huckabee