Dartmouth isn’t the only college where Native American mascots are a hotly debated subject. Students at the University of North Dakota have begun a recent push to eliminate the "Fighting Sioux" as the school’s mascot. And for a while, the administration appeared cooperative, saying that they intended to change the mascot "eventually."

The issue didn’t come to national attention, however, until Ralph Engelstad, a UND alumni and staunch supporter of the Fighting Sioux mascot, threatened to withhold previously promised funds from the University if the administration did change its mascot.

Englestad had planned to give over $100 million to build a hockey rink for the school’s nationally ranked hockey team – but he said he would do so only if UND promised never remove its mascot or change the nickname.

That’s when things got really messy. Controversy swelled around Englestad’s past. He had alleged ties to white supremacist groups and rumors circulated that he threw parties on Hitler’s birthday. Eventually, under pressure, he pulled the conditions and went through with his donation.

Englestad lost the battle, but he won the war. The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education recently stepped in – despite previously stating it would not interfere – and decided the University could not change the mascot.

To its credit, the university is still treating the nickname and symbol as a sensitive topic. University President Charles Kupchella says he is still open to the idea of a name change to cooperate with Native students and tribal concerns. He has been in contact with various tribal leaders, letting them know the current status of the debate.

The University even held an event where tribal members came to educate UND students about the real traditions of Sioux culture. Singers, dancers, and speakers from nearby Lakota communities came to the event in hopes to give the students a better perspective about the issue. Overall, the administration acted responsibly and fairly. The University of North Dakota will probably change their mascot in the near future. They may experience some backlash, but at least the administration is involved.