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Law signed letting UND drop Fighting Sioux name

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Nov 10, 2011 at 10:01 am

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Gov. Jack Dalrymple has signed a law allowing the University of North Dakota to shed its 81-year-old Fighting Sioux nickname.

The measure signed Wednesday allows the school to satisfy an NCAA request that it drop the name or risk sanctions. Lawmakers had passed a law in March requiring the school to keep the name.

The NCAA in 2005 listed the university among a group of schools with objectionable American Indian nicknames, logos and mascots. UND was the only school still fighting the NCAA over the issue.

The new law says UND cannot adopt a new nickname or logo until January 2015. Its supporters say that gives time for the debate to cool off.