Senators to debate logo

Members of Student Senate will vote on a resolution Sunday concerning the continued use of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo after last week's meeting saw three Standing Rock tribal members give a presentation in support of the moniker.

Earlier versions of the resolution clearly supported the logo, but recent revisions have eliminated a clause that read, "Therefore be it moved that the University of North Dakota Student Government support the notion to retain the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo …"

The resolution, written by Education and Human Development Senator Casey Hayden and co-signed by senators Brenden Jehlicka, Kyle Wikstrom and Samantha Curtis, cites the presenter's statement that the "use of warrior symbols as mascots is a strong collegiate tradition" and UND's use of the Fighting Sioux logo is a "testament to the high regard in which it holds native societies."

The three members of the Standing Rock tribe said that terminating the use of the logo would only end what little connection the university and its students have with native culture. "… [student's] only experience with native culture happens to be the mascot … and removal of this tiny sliver of contact and unity would only result in a further degradation in inter-racial relations."

The document further cites that in passing the resolution, Student Government would need to launch a new commitment to "finding ways to create a more inter-racial atmosphere." "We're not a very interracial campus; it's not because we're racist, but we're learning to be more interracial," said Casey Hayden, author of the resolution.

However, some student response to the resolution hasn't been so favorable. For years, members of several Native American tribes have voiced their opinions on their desire to end the use of the name-Sunday will not be any different.

Several students, native and non-native, will be at the Senate meeting in an effort to get their voices heard as well.

UND student Amber Annis said, "We just want to go to show an equal opportunity to express our opposition to this resolution. There will be a group there in support of it and we want to be there as well."

Annis said that a resolution like this will only exacerbate the already difficult situation that all parties are in. "My hope is that it won't get to the point of passing the resolution," she said. "With all that's going on, it'll just add fuel to this crazy fire; I hope it's rejected."

According to Hayden, this issue is long overdue. An official stance on the logo hasn't been taken by Student Government, but after last week's meeting, it appears some senators have a "clearer picture of what [they] need to do." "We waited until now because we just chose not to take a stand for a long time. We need to take a stand now, not just on the logo … we're bringing it up now because tribal members have come to us about it."

Hayden said the seemingly unpopular Native American voice in support of the nickname has been "silenced for too long" and "it needs to be said."

Much of the resolution also lends itself to ramping up efforts on the part of Student Government to pay more attention to racial and cultural issues on campus and to "fight against any injustice … while finding ways to create a more inter-racial atmposphere."

Students are encouraged to attend and voice their own opinions at Sunday's Student Senate meeting at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union.