Grand Forks Herald: Schafer says UND nickname 'solved'

Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer is now the University of North Dakota's interim president. Schafer will be the interim president for about six months. Of course, with a different person at the top, some have questioned whether Schafer would allow another nickname vote.

There will not be another nickname vote. Not going to happen. I think this is the right move. UND spent a bunch of money to get us this nickname.

John Hageman and Anna Burleson , Grand Forks Herald -- But Schafer didn't leave any openings for the university to revisit the nickname issue Tuesday.

"That issue has been settled," he said. "The process went through, and in my opinion, whether you like the name or not, whether you supported the Fighting Sioux or not, the reality is we're beyond that. It hindered the university for many years, and the reality is we have a stake in the ground, we have a new nickname, we're moving forward, we have a chosen nickname and we're going to make value to that name."

UND is now moving forward with the selection of a new logo and moniker. I think this is key. If UND fans are to accept the new nickname, there needs to be a logo that fans can get behind and support. I keep hearing what UND can't have. Blow the selection and design of the logo and you will do a lot of damage.

Of course, there's going to be fans that don't like the new nickname. There were so many other better options not considered for the nickname.

I don't think many of us wanted to lose the Fighting Sioux nickname, but it's gone and it's not coming back. Booing the new nickname is counter productive in my humble opinion.

If UND had remained the Fighting Sioux, there would have been no chance UND would have ever hosted a regional. UND will again host a regional next spring in the Scheels Arena.

Is Fighting Hawks the best nickname? Nope. There are like 40 other schools that are some version of Hawks in their nickname. That being said, I think that Fighting Hawks was the best of the five horrible choices.