CMSioux

SU is advertising in St. Cloud - but a big billboard doesn't mean it's working - UND must be visible where it counts and doing something right because isn't the student count at UND at an all-time high and aren't they discussing ways to control admissions so they can maintain the quality of education?

Enrollment is not a measure of success it is already being looked at for capping at UND or raising standards to control enrollments - biggest doesn't mean the best when it comes to the academics - can you handle the enrollment you have - how many graduate assistants are teaching classes vs professors, can students get the classes they need to graduate in 4 years. It gets so myopic here sometimes.

It's so easy to be an arm-chair administrator. The issue was much more deeper than just saying "Let's go DI" The two schools were facing different issues and challenges at the time.

This was one I liked originally - there are a couple of schools that use it but not too many - they could use a lion's roar as a sound effect after a touchdown or goal (as in a pride of lions), but it also fits well with our military and strong Scandinavian pride.

So where was their diversity VP pointing out that this is a big white guy?

I think by 2008 people knew the writing was on the wall - you really can't use any sales numbers for the last 3 years as any type of bench mark - thoughts on a new name/logo matching these numbers?

I thought I read that someone with inside information said that merchandising income is way overblown - knowing that no matter what it is it won't have the national appeal of FIghting Sioux - of course there will be an initial bump with local fans but the claims of millions of dollars in lost revenue is just a ruse to push for not staying with "North Dakota" (if you believe the black helicopter group).

Great reflection on the strength of UND's hockey program - all the hand-wringing about recruits jumping and players leaving - gotta say that is somewhat insulting to the players and to the program.

Don't you have some corn to plant or some sheep to round up (see what I did there.)

I'd ask you to explain but I doubt you are capable - so you don't think the cheering tradition of EIEIEIO and playing "Old McDonald had a farm" (both of which are now politically incorrect and banned) aren't a part of the history of the rivalry? I grew up on a farm but in my student days I had no issue with having some fun with SU students mostly because we knew it bothered them. Of course in reality I realize the importance of agriculture to ND and to the US - but finding something to have some fun with is what makes it a rivalry. Thanks for caring about a rivalary that many down south claim no longer exists.

Thanks for the ethics lesson - you don't get it we make fun of SU agricultural roots because it's a part of the rivalry tradition - also I highly doubt that Sodbusters makes the final ballot but thanks for caring.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/3743510-und-community-assesses-diversity-efforts-year-after-walk-change Just so many issues, falsehoods, revisionism and double standards shared within this story: B.J. Rainbow was still a graduate student when the Walk For Change took place. Now as a recruiter for the school and a Sioux tribal member, he said things haven't changed. Every year he feels he has to fight for funding for American Indian events and every year he still faces ignorance of his culture. So B.J. feels his group is entitled to funding every year - there are many groups on campus that have to "Fight" for funding every year. She admitted feeling a little anxious coming to UND shortly after a sorority hung a banner some deemed racist and students wore shirts depicting a beer-bonging Native American head with the words "Siouxper Drunk" at Springfest. Racism is in the eye of the beholder - there was nothing blatantly racist in that sign - if you look for trouble you will find it. And once again, revisionist history - those wearing the shirts weren't all students and they weren't at a UND sanctioned event. "I think this community really relies on that division between Natives to kind of say there are some who do like it and that makes it OK," Finley said. "No, just because some do like it doesn't make it OK. It's still wrong." Finley said in her personal experience, the people who support the old monicker haven't spent time on campus. "It's important for the whole community to be able to get along better, to just start moving on together," Finley said. Oh so now the members of the Sioux tribe that disagree with their stance aren't allowed their opinion? Doesn't this also play to the schools that are being allowed to keep their name - "Just because some like doesn't make it okay" - where is the Florida Seminole outrage?. For Finley to say those that support the name "Haven't spent time on campus" is pompus and incorrect - perhaps she should reach out to them instead of making discounting statements like that without knowing their situation. They want them to "Come together and move on" but only if it's in the direction they want they aren't open to all tribal members only those that agree with their position. At the Walk For Change, American Indian students demanded the university move on from the old nickname, ban its image on campus and hold sensitivity training or they would encourage Native American students not to apply at the school. Rainbow said he finds himself in a difficult spot as a recruiter for the university, as families have said regardless of any progress they don't want to send their children to UND because of the nickname issue. Does their higher education not include anything on freedom of speech - I've seen some shirts at Pow Wows that are pretty offensive to the white man that I would like to see banned but it's not gonna happen. If they continue to encourage Native Americans not to attend UND they will eventually run themselves out of their government-supported jobs - no Native Americans on campus - no need for a cultural center. As far as B.J.'s complaint - well if it's his job to recruit for UND and he can't do his job he might have to actually go out and earn a job in the private sector.

The 5 stages of grief - I believe some are moving into stage 2. 1. Denial and Isolation 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance

Don't forget the football stadium that seats 50,000 plus that bi-zon fanatics feel the state should pay for.

Sorry - nothing on any fan site represents "the will of the people".

Jim - call me naive but if we think that ballot stuffing might be an issue don't you think it might come up during their discussions and it would be something they could address. There are plenty of on-line surveys that limit you to one vote for example. The data dump is one of the damned if you do, damned if you don't.situations. It showed it was real, it wasn't edited, it wasn't intended to be anything but a reveal of what the committee was seeing. Personally I had no issue with it because my common sense told me that what we were seeing was a cut and paste of the submissions. I think they wanted the ugly stuff to see the light of day it caused some people to chuckle, got some nation-wide publicity and was a poor reflection on those that chose to show their ignorance.

Seems to me everything that UND does is considered a train wreck here - I wonder how they even keep the doors open? Can someone share something that UND has done right? (I am not an employee, not a spouse, not an apologist I am a businessman who has to actually make real-life decisions and listen to wannabe responses though).

I;m guessing that because of laws associated with open access what we are seeing is the basic stuff - not cleaned up or edited which could raise questions about transparency.

Please share what you think is wrong with the process - I'm seeing that everyone gets a say - and you can't screen for idiots. it's getting nationwide publicity (which might help fuel forcing other schools to change) - and no matter what you personally think this type of national publicity is good for UND. Thank goodness the decision will be made on the quality of the name not the number of times it was submitted (you could submit more than once so I guarantee some of those names were submitted multiple times by people with too much time on their hands.) I do not envy them having to cull this list down to three. I continue to applaud and thank those who are volunteering their time and energy to this committee - knowing they are going to receive plenty of heat no matter what.

I am quite certain the pep band was told they could no longer wear Fighting Sioux clothing - even the guy that runs the flag around the field during games was told that he could no longer wear Sioux clothing because he is a representative of the school. I agree that there are some who have stopped wearing it but most of them are the very close to UND adminstration (friends of the big guys) - but I also know there are lots of big donors who continue to wear Sioux clothing and will continue to wear it.

Would love to know your point and reasoning for being here? In case you missed it UND is in the process of naming a new nickname and has moved on. Thanks for your interest in UND.

You can't tell much from spring scrimmage - just gotta hope the team was able to improve on fundamentals, implement some of next year's game plan and grow together as a team - there were 21 players held out of the scrimmage plus we know there will be some freshmen that make an impact and still a few drop-downs and/r juco's on the way. Studsrud had a better day - was it because he was playing with #1 offense? Seibel will get a lot of balls thrown his way this year, Georges is a nice addition. Neverman was the best RB Saturday - but thanks to Bohl won't see the field next year. Blackmon and Cieslak looked good - there were others that had good days - line play seem to be coming around. Still some issues with exchange in the shotgun it appeared. About 6 tailgating groups - next year the event will be in the IPF that gives UND a year to put a little more energy into this and make it more of an event - if that is even their intention. Lots of player's families and perspective recruits - a nice showing of fans but impossible to bring any kind of energy to the event from the stands. Weather cooperated nicely. Was told that Midco had looked at broadcasing scrimmage but logistics with Memorial Stadium and the scrimmage format didn't allow for it. I really don't think a spring football game at any school makes for interesting sports programming except for the real zealots - recruits are on site anyway.

I don't recall anyone asking for the scrimmage to be broadcast - but a press release 3 days before the event doesn't reflect much excitement or energy. Again - that might be by design since the Memorial Stadium hasn't been used for a public event in more than decade. There are going to be potential recruits attending this scrimmage so why wouldn't we want them to see a little fan support? There is a happy medium between what they did and what others are doing.

I think the biggest beef is the total lack of effort put forth in trying to rebuild the football fan base - now perhaps the football staff has reasons for not wanting to promote the spring game - but getting the on the fence fans back starts with appealing to the hard-core fans - that would include those that are following spring football. They could have turned the issue of having the game at Memorial Stadium into something special - perhaps a "retro" event with old time jersey's, etc. But instead they just sat on their hands and basically did everything they could to discourage attendance. Yet there will still be hard-core fans that show up despite their efforts to discourage it - last year you would have never known there was a spring football event - the absence of UND staff outside with the few tailgaters that showed up and the lack of energy inside the building just made you shake your head - as much as they try there are still hard-core fans hanging on by our fingernails.

My theory is that it is Bubba that is making the call on how the spring game is handled - last year there were 3 tailgating groups - one was a group of graduating senior football players, Bubba stopped over and chatted and really didn't say much about the lack of promotion other than "We going to build it back up". I suppose there are some health and safety issues related to using the stadium along with alcohol on campus issues for tailgating which explains why they aren't encouraging it. To me it speaks volumes as to a lack of interest in making the spring game something bigger in that the Alerus wasn't available - that means no one was even tracking the date until it was too late.