The North Dakota Fighting Sioux is the name of the athletic teams of the University of North Dakota (UND) which is located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota, in the United States. The current logo is a Native American figure. The logo was designed by Bennett Brien, a local artist and UND graduate of Ojibwa ethnicity.

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Athletics

All UND programs participate in the NCAA's Division I as of the 2008-09 season. The football program is in Division I's Football Championship Subdivision. Having won seven national championships, the men's hockey team is easily the most recognized and enshrined of all teams at UND. They play in the $100+ million Ralph Engelstad Arena. The arena has been called one the greatest hockey facilities in the world. ^[1] The men's football program has also been growing in stature and popularity in recent years. All home football games are held in the Alerus Center. The Betty Engelstad Sioux Center is used for basketball and volleyball games.

Teams

• Ice hockey - men's and women's
• Football - men's
• Basketball - men's and women's
• Baseball - men's
• Cross country - men's and women's
• Golf - men's and women's
• Soccer - women's
• Softball - women's
• Swimming and diving - men's and women's
• Track and field - men's and women's
• Tennis - women's
• Volleyball - women's

Nickname origin

UND's nickname was originally "The Flickertails", but was changed to "The Sioux" officially in 1930 ("Fighting" was added later). Guest editorials that appeared at that time in the Dakota Student (the UND student newspaper) noted that (1)"Sioux are a good exterminating agent for Bison " (the mascot of the nearby North Dakota State University team), (2)"They are warlike, of fine physique and bearing ", and (3)"The word Sioux is easily rhymed for yells and songs ". ^[2] The choice of the name was also influenced by the Fighting Irish athletic teams of the University of Notre Dame (another "UND").

Controversy

Critics of the name say that it is a racist stereotype, while supporters maintain it is inoffensive and a source of pride. Over the years, the debate has proven to be a divisive issue at the University. The movement to keep the nickname and logo is led by UND alumni, sports fans, and athletic players and officials, as well as the present university administration. The campaign to change the nickname and logo is led by several Native American tribes and student organizations, as well as many UND faculty members. The most powerful ally of those seeking change has become the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

History of controversy

In 1999, a bill was introduced in the North Dakota House of Representatives to eliminate the nickname, but died in committee. ^[3] In 2000, twenty-one separate Native American-related programs, departments, and organizations at UND signed a statement opposing the continued use of the nickname and logo, saying that it did not honor them or their culture. ^[4] Three tribal entities within the state (the Standing Rock Sioux, Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux, and Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation) have issued tribal resolutions denouncing the continued use of the name and logo. ^[5]

Former Fighting Sioux hockey player and wealthy alumnus Ralph Engelstad donated $100 million dollars for the construction of Ralph Engelstad Arena. This is one of the largest philanthropic donations ever made to a public institution of higher learning. One of Engelstad's conditions for his donation was that the University keep the Fighting Sioux name indefinitely. ^[6] Engelstad placed thousands of Fighting Sioux logos in numerous places throughout the arena to make physical removal of the logo very costly if attempted. The arena opened in 2001.

The debate reignited in 2005, following a decision by the NCAA to sanction schools with tribal logos and/or nicknames, including UND, that the NCAA deemed to be "hostile and abusive." The sanctions would not allow schools like UND to use their names or logos in post-season play and those schools would not be able to host post-season championships. After an unsuccessful appeal to reverse the sanctions, UND started to pursue their legal options. ^[7] On June 15, 2006, after consulting with North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, the Board of Higher Education elected 8-0 to authorize Stenehjem to sue the NCAA for penalizing the UND over its Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. ^[8] In November 2006, UND was granted a preliminary injunction to prevent the NCAA from enforcing the rule. On October 26, 2007, a settlement between UND and the NCAA was reached preventing the case from going to trial. ^[9] The settlement gives UND three years to gain support from the state's Sioux tribes to continue to use the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. ^[10] If that support is not granted at the end of the three years, UND will retire the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, remove most of the existing Fighting Sioux imagery in campus facilities, and pick a new nickname and logo to represent UND's athletic teams.

On May 14, 2009, The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education approved a motion to retire The University of North Dakota’s “Fighting Sioux” nickname and logo, effective October 1, 2009, with full retirement to be completed no later than August 1, 2010. This directive shall be suspended, if, prior to October 1, 2009 the following should happen:

1. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe give namesake approval consistent with the terms of the Settlement Agreement; and

2. The namesake approval be binding upon the tribes for a period not less than thirty (30) years.

Notes

1. Wayne Gretzky's comments about Ralph Engelstad Areana
2. Holly Anis, ''Thirty years of telling us to be honored'', ''High Plains Reader'', March 4, 1999
3. Brief history of nickname - "B.R.I.D.G.E.S." group
4. Statement to UND President Kupchella from 21 Native American-related programs at UND - "B.R.I.D.G.E.S." group
5. List of North Dakota tribal resolutions opposing the UND nickname - "B.R.I.D.G.E.S." group
6. Ralph Engelstad's letter to UND President Kupchella - "B.R.I.D.G.E.S." group
7. UND President Kupchella's open letter to the NCAA - June 7, 2006
8. Dale Wetzel, ''North Dakota to sue NCAA over university's Fighting Sioux nickname'', Associated Press, June 15, 2006
9. 'Fighting Sioux' lawsuit settled
10. Controversy at Ralph Engelstad Arena

See also

• Fighting Sioux Sports Network
• Native American mascot controversy
• List of sports team names and mascots derived from Indigenous peoples