GRAND FORKS, N.D. - North Dakota officials have three years to persuade Sioux tribes to support the Fighting Sioux nickname, under a settlement approved Friday that the president of United Tribes Technical College says shows contempt.
The state Board of Higher Education settled a lawsuit with the NCAA over the nickname, voting unanimously Friday morning to approve the deal after a closeddoor briefing from Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem.
David Gipp, president of United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, said leaders of the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake tribes, as well as other tribes and groups, are on record opposing the nickname.
"Allowing a three-year period to influence the tribes leaves open the door for North Dakota and its agents to continue their meddling in the social and political affairs of tribal nations, causing untold damage in the lives of good people and families who only wish to have their ways and heritage respected," Gipp said in a statement.
Stenehjem, who outlined the agreement earlier for tribal officials, said he believes negotiations over the nickname and logo should be led by top-level state officials.
"There shouldn't be a huge number of people putting pressure on anyone," he said.
In 2005, the NCAA banned the use of the nickname in postseason play, labeling it hostileand abusive. North Dakota sued to challenge the ban in October last year and got a temporary order allowing the continued use of the nickname and logo while the case moved through court.
"The settlement confirms that the Sioux people and no one else should decide whether and how their name should be used," Bernard Franklin, an NCAA senior vice president, said in a statement.
"The settlement is consistent with the NCAA's firm belief that Native American nicknames and imagery have no place in intercollegiate athletics," the NCAA statement said.
"We are not going to be fighting this in 10 years, in 20 years, in 30 years," Stenehjem said. "This is an issue that needs to be resolved, needs to be concluded."
If approval of the nickname is withdrawn later from either the Standing Rock or Spirit Lake Sioux tribes, the waiver will also be withdrawn, the agreement says. It also includes a statement by the NCAA saying North Dakota is a "national leader in offering educational programs to Native Americans."
Sebastian Braun, an assistant professor in the North Dakota Indian studies department, said the agreement seems reasonable.
"I don't think the tribes are going to change their minds on this, but it will perhaps give everybody some time to come to terms with the inevitable," he said.
Sports, Pages 28 on 10/27/2007