U. of North Dakota’s ‘Fighting Sioux’ Nickname Wins 30-Day Reprieve

The University of North Dakota’s controversial “Fighting Sioux” nickname got a 30-day reprieve today, as the state’s Board of Higher Education voted, 6 to 1, to extend until October 31 the deadline for the nickname’s demise unless a tribal council announces plans to hold a referendum on its use, according to the Grand Forks Herald. The university sued the NCAA in 2006, after the association declined to grant a waiver from a policy banning American Indian imagery in team nicknames and mascots, which the NCAA deemed offensive. In settling the suit, North Dakota agreed to drop the nickname unless it could win the approval of two Sioux tribes. One tribe has endorsed the nickname, but the other has refused to even schedule a vote.

9 thoughts on “U. of North Dakota’s ‘Fighting Sioux’ Nickname Wins 30-Day Reprieve”

  1. According to the American Psychological Association: “The use of American Indian mascots as symbols in school and university athletic programs in particularly troubling,” says APA President, Ronald F. Levant, EdD. “Schools and universities are places of learning. These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and, too often, insulting images of American Indians. And these negative lessons are not just affecting American Indian students; they are sending the wrong message to all students.”

  2. What does the APA say about insulting persons of Irish descent? There’s that school at Fort Bend, you know…

  3. What message does Doctor of Education Levant think the University of Notre Dame du Lac is sending with their Fighting Irish? Does he expect the Republic of Ireland to hold a referendum? And what about the Ragin Cajuns of the University of Southwest Louisiana? (I know, the Lousiana government now call it University of Louisiana at Lafayette — but they cant make me call it that.). Well, I have an University of Illinois Flag, orange blue and white with the Chief in the center. I don’t need the NCAA’s politically correct permission to fly it. North Dakota should tell the NCAA to go to hell. As should we all.

  4. The “other” tribe, Standing Rock, just booted out the head who refused to allow a plebescite on the question and elected one who is in favor of it. As for ericstoller’s post, the old appeal to authority fallacy, which is fitting, since fallacies are all the anti- crowd have to offer, beginning with the always popular argumentum ad misericordiam.

  6. Meanwhile, the football team associated with our nation’s capital continues to use the perjorative term “Redskins” and refuses to consider changing it. At least the use of tribal names ensures that someone will remember their identities and regional affiliations. But it can’t get much worse than referring to a group of people by their skin color using a term that originated in a time when Redskin denoted an enemy. Personally, I think team names should be up to the schools, period, and the NCAA should butt out. Mascots are the next thing to be scrutinized, and then team colors, emblems, etc. so as to ensure nobody’s sensibilities are offended.It’s the hypocrisy that gets me.

  7. I suppose that those of you that think the NCAA should go to hell would like the idea of team names like the “Fighting Whites,” “Battling Blacks,” “Movin’ Mexicans” etc. If not, what’s the difference?

  8. There is more to the story than “just a mascot”. Several years ago UND accepted several million dollars from a man named Ralph Engelstad to build a sports facility. I don’t recall just how much, for some reason $40 million sounds familiar. Mr. Engelstad made his fortune in Las Vegas. One of the requirements for his donation to UND was that the image of the fighting Sioux must be integrated into the facility and remain the mascot. In the past the family has threatened to pull their support if the university changes mascots (Mr. Engelstad died a few years ago). Some would say, so what, it is only an image? I think it is important to know that Mr. Engelstad wasn’t just any Las Vegas business man. Mr. Engelstad had a habit of flaunting views that some may find offensive. One year he had a birthday party for Hitler. Apparently that was even too much for Las Vegas, he was in some way sanctioned for this event. This is the man whose money, in my opinion, has pushed UND to take a stand to keep their mascot.The question that haunts me is how many institutions would have the backbone to turn down tens of millions of dollars if a donor dangled them in front of them. I question if the institution I work for would. How many institutions’ development offices have a rubric for perceived gains vs. possible negative attributes of donors? Who decides what is acceptable and what is not. Difficult but important issues to consider.

  9. To follow up on hartenhoff’s post:Engelstad originally offered $100 million, 50 to academics and 50 for a hockey arena. He then built the arena himself for $104 million and gave nothing to academics. The arena does not belong to UND, but rather a private corporation.The Nevada Gaming Commission fined him $5 million for his Hitler birthday parties.