Bradley and North Dakota Can Keep Nicknames, for Now: The NCAA’s executive committee ruled that Bradley and North Dakota can keep their American Indian nicknames and mascots for now. The committee could not complete the appeals process, so it will defer a decision until April. The Bradley Braves and North Dakota Fighting Sioux had been deemed unacceptable based on the NCAA’s new standard prohibiting “hostile” or “abusive” nicknames, and both schools submitted appeals to the executive committee.
The move has received mixed results as some think the measure is little more than a witch hunt while others think its a matter of long-overdue sensitivity. Several other schools, including Florida State, Central Michigan and Utah, have successfully appealed their place on the list of 18 schools with unacceptable nicknames or logos. [1/10/06]
