The NCAA came through Monday with its end of a negotiated settlement with UND over the school's continued use of its Fighting Sioux nickname.
The association posted a news release on its Web site paying tribute to UND's 30-some programs for American Indians and acknowledging that "reasonable people can disagree about the propriety of Native American imagery in athletics."
The precise wording of that statement and the NCAA's obligation to post it were included in the terms of a settlement agreement signed in late October by the collegiate organization and UND.
The NCAA described UND and other schools with American Indian nicknames, mascots and logos as creating "hostile and abusive" campus climates in a 2005 policy banning those teams from competing in postseason play or hosting playoff games while displaying their nicknames and logos.
Out of 20 schools on the original list, UND was the only school to challenge the NCAA in court.
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More than any other school, perhaps, UND officials recoiled at the "hostile and abusive" designation, sometimes citing it as the impetus for the lawsuit.
"How that announcement was phrased was important during our initial reaction in 2005," UND Spokesman Peter Johnson said. "Describing what we do as 'hostile and abusive,' that was a significant issue for us."
Johnson said the school appreciates the NCAA's acknowledgement that UND intends to use the Sioux logo with respect.
North Dakota Board of Higher Education President John Paulsen has gone further, calling the NCAA statement the most important part of the negotiated settlement.
"UND deserves to have its honor restored in terms of its commitment to programs supporting Native Americans," Paulsen said when the settlement was announced. "You've seen (that commitment) up and down the campus for years. The university's reputation was sullied by the NCAA. That had to be fixed and has been fixed by this settlement."
The October settlement brought a close to a legal battle between the two organizations that lasted more than a year and racked up more than $2 million in legal bills, according to the judge that presided over the case.
More than $800,000 of that legal bill went to UND's attorneys, who were paid through private donations to a litigation fund managed by the UND Alumni Association.
The settlement agreement also stated that UND must retire its nickname and logo within three years if it cannot win the approval of tribal councils at both the state's Sioux reservations.
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The Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council voted last week to reaffirm its opposition to the nickname. Chairman Ron His Horse Is Thunder has said it is unlikely either tribal council will vote to affirm the nickname.
Marks reports on higher education. Reach him at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or jmarks@gfherald.com .
