The UND Nickname and Logo Process Recommendation Task Force held several town hall meetings across the state Monday night as a way of reaching out to a larger audience.

A limited number of people were also able to view the meetings online through Web conferencing.

“It’s another way of seeking input from stakeholders about the process and also a way of providing some updates on the work that’s been done so far,” said Sandra Mitchell, task force member and associate vice President for diversity and inclusion.

The meetings were held in Bismarck, Fargo, Williston, Minot and in Grand Forks at the Empire Arts Center and Gamble Hall.

“It’s all about the process at this point,” Mitchell said. “We’re not seeking a possible name for a nickname and logo.”

The process began with a series of smaller meetings held on campus. Meetings on Nov. 5, 6 and 7 were particularly inspiring, according to officials.

“Those meetings yielded some really valuable input,” said Susan Walton, vice president for university & public affairs and communications coordinator for the Task Force.

Walton said the meeting posed a few questions that formed the basis for discussion topics at the town hall meetings. The questions included who should be involved as stakeholders and what kind of timeline should the task force consider when they make their recommendations.

Online survey

In addition to the physical and virtual town hall meetings, the task force has created an online survey to provide further input on the process of choosing a nickname.

The survey was sent out Friday through email addresses listed in UND’s alumni database. However, base. It’s also available to the public on UND’s website.

The survey asks participants to choose which stakeholder group they belong to, which characteristics they’d like to see in a UND nickname and who should have a say in choosing a nickname. It takes around 15 minutes to complete and will be available until 5 p.m. Nov. 30.

The task force is set to present its plan for choosing a nickname to President Robert Kelley by the end of December.

For coverage of the town hall meetings, pick up the next issue of The Dakota Student.

Jamie Hutchinson is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].