Deadline Extended Another 30 Days

The deadline for UND to transition to a new nickname and logo has been extended to November 30th.The State Board of Higher Education received a letter from the Standing Rock Tribal Chair late Friday saying their doors are open to discuss the issue further but without stipulations or deadlines. The letter did not ask for an extension as the board previously said would be necessary.

Grant Shaft: "Although the board has not formally taken a position I think we're viewing the letter as though it met the October 31st deadline that they're clear they want to continue discussion."

Board member Grant Shaft says he interprets the some what vague letter as the tribe asking to discuss other resolutions than just a referendum vote under deadline pressure. That has been the focus of a resolution so far.

Grant Shaft: "There can be approval from just a tribal council resolution, obviously a referendum followed by tribal council resolution, and its possible there could be approval just from a tribal official like chairman Murphy."

Shaft says all of these would meet the NCAA and board requirements. He says the letter may not have met their terms exactly and while the deadlines are firm they're also a tool to help narrow a path to a resolution.

Grant Shaft: "The board wants to be firm and intends to be but if we can find at some point that there is an ultimate resolution coming from the tribe we would like to accommodate that and not have our deadline be the road block."

He says Murphy has given no indication of the tribes intentions. The tribal council will meet on November 9th. After that the board will meet on the 19th. Shaft says any discussion will take place this month and they'll be looking for a definitive direction to a resolution by the November 30th deadline from the tribe.

Spirit Lake has already met all the requirements.A contract will be forwarded to the council to sign this week to ensure their resolution giving UND perpetual use of the name is binding on all future councils. All that will be left is for Standing Rock to make a decision.