Add the University of North Dakota to the list of universities willing to call the NCAA on their hypocrisy and capriciousness. President Charles Kupchella addresses a letter to the NCAA wherein he points out the total lack of definition to the terms “hostile” and “abusive”. President Kupchella also notes the notable efforts of UND to provide academic opportunities to Indians. Kupchella notes that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found nothing hostile in the environment at UND.
The Office for Civil Rights sent a half-dozen people to our campus. They fanned out across campus and after more than a week here, found no such thing. Did the Executive Committee find some things they missed, perhaps? Or does a committee in Indianapolis trump the Office for Civil Rights here, on the ground, in North Dakota?
The NCAA is allowing the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to keep their Indian logo. Kupchella points out the arbitrariness of this decision. Just how many Indians must be on campus in order to allow that institution to adopt a nickname that the NCAA calls hostile and abusive? Maybe this is why the Fighting Irish are allowed to keep their name; they’re getting cover from all the O’Malleys and Fitzgeralds on campus. The NCAA has long been guilty of arbitrary and unfair rules that have harmed student athletes and done little to promote academic excellence. Unfortunately, they have a monopoly that makes it difficult to stop them. The Fighting Sioux however seem up to the challenge.
I heard this guy's address on Penny. Very articulate. They have done so much up there on Indian scholarships and Indian studies and such.
Basically, UND is asking for clarification on their specific problems so they can file a challenge that makes sense to the court.