UND's chances of entering the Summit League athletic conference may require the state to resolve the controversy over the university's Fighting Sioux nickname sooner than expected, said the chairman of a state committee working on the issue.
"I look at the Summit League as an intervening issue," said Grant Shaft, who will report to the State Board of Higher Education today. "It might lead the board to move our timeline up."
Under a timeline established earlier this year, the committee has until the end of the year to gather information about the nickname and how it affects the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock Sioux reservations and the UND community.
The state board will need the approval of both the state's Sioux tribes for UND to keep the nickname under an agreement with the NCAA. The board has until the end of November 2010 to get that approval, although to make time for a transition period, approval has to be in place by February.
After speaking with Summit League and UND officials, Shaft said the board may not have the luxury of time.
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Last month, Spirit Lake tribal members voted 764-371 to keep the nickname, although formal approval by the Tribal Council is needed to satisfy the NCAA agreement.
Some Standing Rock tribal members are gathering signatures to put the nickname on the ballot there either in July or September. The Standing Rock Tribal Council also has to give formal approval.
But the time frame of the tribal approval process may conflict with the Summit League's plans for expansion, Shaft said. He said he'll ask the state board to weigh both in its decision, which he does not expect today.
Rather, Shaft said, he'll ask board members to mull it over until possibly the next monthly board meeting June 18.
Why is timing important for entry into the Summit League or any conference for that matter?
UND views the Summit as an attractive home for the majority of its Division I athletic programs.
The 10-team league is viewed as a good fit geographically for UND. In addition, a number of Summit schools -- including North Dakota State and South Dakota State -- have similar academic missions.
The Summit recently accepted South Dakota as a new member. Like UND, South Dakota also completed its first season as a Division I athletic program.
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But Summit officials said UND will not be considered for membership until its nickname issue is resolved.
That's where timing really comes into play. There is no guarantee the Summit will wait until the nickname issue is resolved before it seeks a 12th league member. Most leagues prefer an even number of teams for scheduling and travel purposes.
There are other Division I programs looking for conference affiliation, including Chicago State and Utah Valley State.
The Summit is viewed as a long-term solution for UND's athletic program, especially for the Sioux men's and women's basketball teams.
A number of UND programs -- including Sioux football, along with men's and women's basketball -- compete in the Great West Conference, a coast-to-coast league that consists of mainly new Division I programs.
There are other conferences that could suit UND -- primarily the Big Sky Conference. But Shaft said travel and reaction of UND fans would be important factors to consider.
UND men's and women's hockey are not affected by the school's goal to gain Summit membership. Both Sioux programs play in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
Reach Tran at (701) 780-1248; (800) 477-6572, ext. 248; or send e-mail to ttran@gfherald.com .
