Goon's World: Fargo Forum

Monday, May 11, 2015

Forum editorial: UND logo process too long

It looks like the Fargo Forum is trolling the UND fan base. Not a bad plan if you need impression and page views. The Forum's editorial board wrote an article that takes issue with the nickname replacement process at UND. Below is a part that stood out for me.

Now the committee will cull the accepted list. There were actually two lists, one of acceptable names, one of names deemed not acceptable. But who’s counting? After the cull, remaining names will be rated using a point system. The finalists will be put to a public vote, initially scheduled this month, but likely to be delayed.

The process has been so unnecessarily politically correct and convoluted that (horror of horrors!) the North Dakota Legislature might have done a better job. UND likely would have a new moniker by now had lawmakers taken up the task.

Here’s the reality: No matter how long it takes to replace the old name and symbol, and no matter what emerges as UND’s identifier, a noisy and unrepentant segment of alumni and “Sioux” fans will not be appeased. Meanwhile, advocates for the university’s logo methodology will fall back on the faux thoroughness and fairness of the process. It won’t matter. In that unhappy and well-understood context, a focused, pragmatic committee could have selected a new moniker in a helluva lot shorter time than it has taken. The university would have moved on, and most UND supporters would have, too. (Inforum.com)