BISMARCK, N.D. — Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed a law allowing the University of North Dakota to shed its 81-year-old Fighting Sioux nickname.
The measure signed Wednesday allows the school to satisfy an NCAA request that it drop the name or risk sanctions. Lawmakers had passed a law in March requiring the school to keep the name.
The NCAA in 2005 listed the university among a group of schools with objectionable American Indian nicknames, logos and mascots. UND was the only school still fighting the NCAA over the issue.
The new law says UND cannot adopt a new nickname or logo until January 2015. Its supporters say that gives time for the debate to cool off.
The law overturns a last- ditch attempt in March by the Legislature — which counts many UND alumni among its members — to mandate that UND keep the Fighting Sioux name. That maneuvering caused scheduling headaches for UND teams and threatened its bid to join the Big Sky Conference as it transitions from Division II to Division I sports.
Since August, the NCAA has banned UND from hosting postseason tournaments and said the school’s athletes may not wear uniforms with the nickname or logo during postseason play.
“Being forced to change what you’re called doesn’t mean changing who you are,” said Democratic Sen. Mac Schneider of Grand Forks, a former UND offensive lineman. “We are the University of North Dakota, and we’ll always be fighting.”
The Associated Press
