http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/opinion/13851924.htm

Posted on Sun, Feb. 12, 2006

VIEWPOINT : UND ignores groups, rulings, studies that oppose nickname

GRAND FORKS - UND's administration has consumed much time and energy
refuting the "hostile and abusive" label applied to its sports nickname and
logo. But it is unwilling to address the specific concerns long raised by
tribal governments and organizations, civil rights groups and more
specifically, American Indian educators and educational organizations.

In fact, UND President Charles Kupchella says, in his appeal to the NCAA,
"We reject the NCAA argument that Indian nicknames and logos stereotype
American Indians." Does this mean he also "rejects" the findings of the
American Psychological Association? The National Congress of American
Indians? The National Indian Education Association?

To date, no less than 12 independent empirical studies (five from UND
alone) have demonstrated that American Indian athletic team nicknames and
logos have an adverse impact on Indian students. These data also suggest
Indians in these settings do oppose their use and do not feel "honored."

Proponents of Indian nicknames and logos can produce no studies that have
demonstrated the opposite outcome and refer instead to unscientific,
self-serving "polls" in Sports Illustrated for support.

To this end, the American Psychological Association has passed a resolution
calling for the retirement of all American Indian mascots and logos. It's
one thing to ignore the aforementioned studies or seek to attack their
methodologies (something anyone could do with any study ever conducted).
But how can UND simply ignore the collective wisdom of the largest
professional psychological association in the world?

If, as Kupchella said in his Feb. 10 viewpoint, UND's administration is
proud of its "long-standing, fine array of programs in support of American
Indian students and programs in health care and other areas," why will they
not listen when these very same programs (including programs whose emphasis
is the physical and mental well-being of Indians) repeatedly tell them that
the name is detrimental to their mission?.

If building solidarity is so important, where was the administration in
2000 when the State Board of Higher Education intervened in a legitimate
campus process, ignored tribal government resolutions and mandated that
keeping an Indian sports team name and logo was "in the best interest of
the state"? Why wasn't an effort made then to achieve "solidarity" with the
tribal governments?

Perhaps establishing solidarity on our own campus should be the first goal.
UND's administration insists that the nickname and logo are not interfering
with our academic mission. But the UND Senate disagrees and recently passed
a resolution requesting that the president "develop and implement an
orderly plan for discontinuing use of the Indian nickname and Indianhead
logo."

UND's American Indian Student Services Office and the vast majority of
programs that specifically serve Indian students also disagree with UND's
president and his advisors on this issue.

Establishing "more solidarity" between UND and the Sioux tribes is a worthy
goal - one that UND's American Indian Student Services Office and the
Indian programs on this campus have been doing since the1970s. And they've
been doing this work not so that UND can keep a sports team name and
mascot, not because they're opportunistically trying to get anything in
return from area tribes, but to give Indian students (of all tribes) the
support and encouragement needed to achieve their goals.

In its second appeal to the NCAA, UND states, "The athletic program of the
University of North Dakota is one of the finest in America; it serves as a
source of pride for many" as though this is a reason for ignoring more than
30 years of conflict and controversy. As though this is reason enough to
ignore the National Congress of American Indians, the U.S. Office of Civil
Rights and its own accrediting body, the North Central Association of
Colleges and Schools.

It is time for UND's leaders to stop their lobbying efforts to keep a name
that has become a symbol of racial dissension, to put aside threats of
lawsuits, to halt the pitting of students against each other, to stop -
please - trying to justify the appropriation of Indian culture for
marketing purposes.

Building solidarity involves listening and showing respect for tribal
governments and organizations. Solidarity is built on trust. UND should
reach out to the tribal governments and support Indian programs and
students because it is the right thing to do - not because we want to keep
a sports team name and logo.

McDonald, an Oglala Sioux Tribe member, is director of UND's Indians Into
Psychology doctoral program. Tepper, a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe member,
is a professor of teaching and learning at UND, and Ganje is an associate
professor of art at UND.