The nickname has been an ongoing issue at North Dakota for probably over 20 years. It has finally come to a head in the last 2 years.
In 2005, the NCAA put a ban on using Native American nicknames, masots, or logos in NCAA-sponsored events (i.e. post-season games/tournaments), and also would not allow any school that uses Native American imagery to host NCAA-sponsored events.
The loophole is that if a school can get permission from the tribe of the same name, they are exempt from the policy. This is why Florida St., Utah, Central Michigan, etc are not affected by the policy, they have the blessing of the Seminoles, Utes, and Chippewa.
There are two large Sioux Tribes in North Dakota. We have the permission of one of them, but the other has been very vocal about its opposition to the University using the name.
The state of North Dakota sued the NCAA last year in attempt to get them to change their policy. A settlement was reached last fall that allows UND to continue to use the nickname in post-season events until November of 2010. During that time, UND must secure permission from both of the Sioux Tribes in the state, if we want to continue using the nickname beyond 2010.
The concensus is that we will not get permission, and North Dakota will no longer be known as the Fighting Sioux after November of 2010.
It should be noted though that the NCAA is not "forcing" us to change their name. We can keep using it if we wanted to. The problem is that if we do keep it (without obtaining approval from both ND Sioux tribes) we would never be allowed to host any post-season games.
It is a bunch of B.S., Political Correctness run amok.