Three bills introduced into the North Dakota Legislature that would keep the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux nickname won’t be fought by the university’s board, the Grand Forks Herald reported.

The school’s board had hinted at trying to changed the nickname but said this week it won’t fight the bills, one brought by a Republican representative who said he would keep pushing the bill despite several administrative roadblocks that might be in its way.

Several issues would seem to constrain state lawmakers, which board members noted.

One is the settlement with the NCAA that had required UND to win approval from both the state’s Sioux tribes to retain the nickname. Only one tribe, the Spirit Lake tribe near Devils Lake, chose to vote on the nickname.

Board member Michael Haugen said he worried about the reaction by the NCAA. “UND needs the NCAA. It’s not the NCAA needing UND,” he said.

UND President Robert Kelley, who was traveling to meet with NCAA officials, said he hasn’t heard their reaction yet, but would find out soon.

The other issue is the state constitution giving direct control of the university system to the board, rather than to lawmakers. North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem told lawmakers that, too.

Jenna Cederberg

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