Nickname Divides UND Senate
True to its controversial nature, UND’s Fighting Sioux nickname divided the University Senate on Thursday when a resolution opposing the nickname came up for a vote.
It passed 25-17 with unanimous opposition from student senators.
Most of the “aye” votes came from faculty and staff senators.
A significant number of staff senators, including some administrators, abstained. The abstentions were not officially recorded, but one senator said she thought there were 14.
The resolution called on the State Board of Higher Education to end the use of the nickname and direct UND President Robert Kelley to transition to another nickname, said Vice Chairwoman Wendelin Hume, who sponsored the resolution on behalf of anonymous authors.
Student Body President and Sen. Tyrone Grandstrand, an opponent of the resolution, said the wording is too divisive, especially at a time when, within a little more than a year, the issue will resolve itself.
As part of a legal settlement with the NCAA, the state board will have to win approval of the two namesake Sioux tribes in North Dakota or get rid of the nickname by Nov. 30, 2010. The NCAA has called the nickname “hostile and abusive” to American Indians.
Hume, paraphrasing the resolution, said the nickname harms the university as an academic institution and should be retired earlier.
About 40 or so students, wearing green UND apparel, held signs supporting the nickname before the meeting and sat through the debate.
The resolution has no power to compel the state board to act. It merely states the senate’s opinion.
Q and some A
Several student senators questioned the alleged harm, seeking proof that indeed there was harm.
Sen. Harald Brevik, a student representative, said he felt the resolution was more “personal emotion” than fact.
The resolution said “UND has suffered damage to its institutional reputation at a national level and has lost potential private foundation grant funding.”
How much money was that?, he asked.
Sen. Jordan Buhr, another student representative, suggested that perhaps UND has received some donations because of the nickname.
Hume said there has been no financial research, but it’s clear UND has suffered some damage as an institution. The resolution simply points out that there are negatives, she said.
Sen. Dan Rice, dean of the education college, said a higher learning commission did tell UND in 2003 that it thought the nickname hurt the university’s reputation.
Buhr and Brevik tried to amend the resolution to remove the clause about damage suffered, but they lost the vote.
The resolution said “(the NCAA) settlement has given rise to concerns regarding the questionable tactics being utilized by pro-logo advocates and supporters for garnishing tribal members’ support for the nickname and logo.”
Sen. Chelsea Stone, a student representative, asked whether there was any documentation.
Hume said the resolution is not saying that the tactics are wrong; it simply says they’re “questionable.” Some tribal members, she said, have alleged impropriety.
That’s a reference to accusations by nickname opponents that Spirit Lake Nation members who gathered signatures to put the nickname on the primary election later this month were paid by nickname supporters. The tribal nickname supporters said they’re not paid.
When one senator asked who wrote the resolution, Hume said she couldn’t say. It’s not a secret, she said. She just hasn’t asked permission from the authors.
Senate rules require only the sponsoring senator identify himself or herself.
Reach Tran at (701) 780-1248; (800) 477-6572, ext. 248; or send e-mail to [email protected].
University Senate Resolution
April 2009
Whereas, the University of North Dakota is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA); and
Whereas, following its 2004 reaccreditation visit to UND, the NCA issued a report explicitly linking UND’s controversial use of its Indian nickname and Indianhead logo with negative impacts on the University’s academic mission, and calling on the State Board of Higher Education and the campus to develop and implement an orderly plan for discontinuing the use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo; and
Whereas, the NCA’s conclusions of the negative impacts of the name and logo on the University’s academic mission are consistent with scholarly, scientific research conducted on the UND campus and research conducted and published elsewhere; and
Whereas, UND has suffered damage to its institutional reputation at a national level and has lost potential private foundation grant funding which would have resulted in institutional and program growth, as direct results of the continued use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo; and
Whereas, the ongoing controversy over the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo is disruptive and divisive to the UND campus community and the Greater Grand Forks community; and
Whereas, UND’s continued use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo is contrary to UND’s Mission, Community Value Statement, and Strategic Plan Goals and Action Plans, and violates UND’s Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy Statement and Procedures for Complaints of Discrimination or Harassment (example: the display of the Indianhead logo can be perceived as intimidating and visual/graphic harassment which violates UND’s Harassment Policy as stated in the Code of Student Life, and stymies UND’s ability to insure a campus climate where “all individuals (will) be respected and treated with dignity and civility” (UND Community Values Statement); and
Whereas, the NCA’s call for retirement of the name and logo is in accord with requests and formal resolutions from eight Sioux nations and several other area tribes, numerous educational organizations including the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, National Indian Education Association, National Congress of American Indians, the North Dakota Indian Education Association, the Minnesota Indian Education Association, the American Psychological Association (APA), the American Sociological Association (ASA), the American Anthropological Association, twenty of UND’s Indian-related programs, and dozens of other national, regional and local organizations; and
Whereas, the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo controversy at UND has continued for more than 30 years and negatively impacts many of the American Indian students who attend UND and the UND American Indian related programs and staff due to its emotional toll and distractive nature, as documented in the American Indian Student Services Annual Reports over the past decade; and
Whereas, the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo controversy has reached and involved the tribal communities of the states of North and South Dakota, and as a result has negatively impacted UND’s ability to increase its enrollment and retention of American Indian students, as evidenced by the fact that American Indian student enrollment at UND has decreased over the past five years, with the current number just over 300, down from over 400); and
Whereas, the October 2007 settlement between the State of North Dakota, the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) provided a period of time until November 30, 2010 to seek approval for the use of the “Fighting Sioux” nickname and logo from both the Spirit Lake Tribe and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, placing the responsibility for the decision on the state’s Sioux Indian tribes and communities which has now resulted in disrupting and dividing the tribal communities and governments within the state; and
Whereas, this settlement has given rise to concerns regarding the questionable tactics being utilized by pro-logo advocates and supporters for garnishing tribal members’ support for the nickname and logo; and
Whereas, this court case determined that unless this required tribal approval is secured, UND will remain under sanctions in NCAA sponsored post season games and hosting the games at UND would also be problematic; under NCAA guidelines regarding use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo, several regional teams have publicly refused to compete with UND based on the controversy and; entry into an athletic conference is being hindered by the continued use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo; and
Whereas, even if UND gains approval for use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo, this would provide no long-term solution as another tribal vote or a change in tribal leadership could reverse this action, resulting in continued conflict; and
Whereas, numerous online blogs and comment forums have revealed that the UND campus and Greater Grand Forks community climate has become increasingly negative towards American Indian students and American Indian related programs and staff on campus; and
Whereas, the UND University Senate approved a resolution on January 12, 2006 requesting that President Charles Kupchella promptly seek authority from the State Board of Higher Education to develop and implement an orderly plan for discontinuing use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo; and
Whereas, the NCA’s explicit concerns, the academic research record, and the extent of tribal and organizational calls for retirement of the name and logo provide substantial reasons for the University Senate to remain concerned that accomplishing the academic mission of the University of North Dakota is hindered by the continued use of the name and logo; and
Whereas, the controversy continues to divert substantial time, energy, and resources of administration, faculty, staff, and students away from important work required to advance the University’s academic mission; and
Now, therefore, UND University Senate resolves that the use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead logo cease now in recognition of the central role of the University’s academic mission, and that the authority for the development and implementation of an orderly plan for the transition to a new nickname and logo be restored to University President Robert Kelley by the State Board of Higher Education.