Nickname commission to add two members
Call for Sioux representation leads to latest decision
By Josh Roiland
Dakota Student Staff Writer
When UND President Charles Kupchella announced the names of the 16 people that are serving
on the commission to study the Fighting Sioux nickname one month ago, there was a
possibility that more people could be added to that list. It now seems that possibility
will soon become a reality.
On Monday the commission met for the first time and the first order of business was to
discuss a request that Kupchella had made to them. A request to add two more members to the
group.
"Early on there was criticism that there were no individuals on the commission who were
from reservations of tribes in North Dakota," said Phil Harmeson, associate dean of the
College of Business and Public Administration and the chair of the committee.
Harmeson said that because of that criticism Kupchella sought to add two more members to
commission.
According to fellow commission member Leigh Jeanotte, though, adding additional members was
something that had been discussed before.
"We had met (with Kupchella) a while ago and discussed putting tribal members on," he said,
"but a couple turned it down -- one because of illness.
"So I don't think outside pressure was really a factor, he just wanted to make it as fair
as possible."
Regardless of the impetus behind the move, Kupchella was clear about whom he wanted to be
added.
"We're looking for two individuals of Native American heritage," Harmeson said, "one in
favor of changing the name and one in favor of keeping it."
There was not much concern from either Harmeson or Jeanotte about adding members to the
commission who already have predetermined feelings towards the isssue.
"I think the president just wants individuals who are going to be objective," Jeanotte
said. "He tried to get a balance in the committee."
Those will more than likely be members of the Sioux Nation and will hold tribal leadership
positions. That leadership was key, according to Jeanotte who is also the director of
Native American Programs on campus.
"If you look at the commission we have the student body president, the athletic director,
and two former governors," he said. "In terms of stature they should be added."
Jeanotte and fellow commission member Cindy Mala have been charged to seek out appropriate
candidates for these two positions. They will concentrate their efforts on tribal
councilmen and chairmen involved from a reservation within the state.
Even though there are Native Americans who currently sit on the commission, Jeanotte said
that these discussions arose because those Native Americans do not have direct ties to
tribes in North Dakota.
"It should involve the Sioux," he said.
Timeline
The committee's first formal meeting was successful according to Jeanotte, as it gave
everyone a chance to familiarize themselves with other members and to voice opinions and
concerns. He said that there is no date set for the next meeting, although he thought it
would be sometime next month.
The process to add the new members, however, shouldn't take that long.
Jeanotte said that by today he hopes Mala and himself will have been able to select between
two and six people to pass on to President Kupchella before he makes the final decision to
add two.
"We want to speed up the process," he said, "and hopefully when he comes back (from out of
town) on Monday he'll have some names on his desk."