Chuck Kupcello - President of the University of North Dakota

My official duties as 10th president of The University of North Dakota began July 1, 1999.
I spent one summer in my early years working in the coal mines, I got my B.S. Ed. in biology with certification to teach in secondary schools from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1964 and my Ph.D. in physiology and microbiology from St. Bonaventure University in 1968.

I started my career in 1968 at Bellarmine College in Louisville, Ky. From 1973 to 1979 I was a professor of Oncology at the University of Louisville and was Associate Director of its Cancer Research Center. In 1979 I joined the faculty of Murray State University as Chair of the Department of Biology. I served there until 1985, when I went to Western Kentucky College as Professor Biology and Dean of its Ogden College. From 1993 to 1999, I served as Provost and Professor of Biology at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau. I also was at the forefront of helping the University reach into communities from Kennett to St. Louis, and was instrumental in establishing program-to-program articulation agreements and specific cooperative programs with community colleges.

In my research, I studied blood-coagulation adaptation in hibernating animals. I has also studied the effect of aspirin on the gastrointestinal tract and the properties of the extracellular matrix associated with the spread of cancer. I have published widely in his field of expertise, Biology. I have written three books: Sights and Sounds: The Very Special Senses (Bobbs-Merrill Publishing Co., 1976); Environmental Science: Living Within the System of Nature (third edition, Prentice-Hall, 1993, with Peggy Hyland); and Dimensions of Cancer (Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1987). I also have authored or co-authored more than 50 articles in Cancer, Cancer Research, American Journal of Medicine, Comparative Physiology and Biophysics, Journal of Environmental Education, Archives of Internal Medicine, Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Journal of Cancer Education, and other journals. I have also presented at more than 100 statewide, national and international meetings.
Since 1999, Chuck has served as a member of North Dakota's Higher Education Roundtable-- a group of legislators, business leaders, and representatives of higher education in forging a forward-looking description of the expectations of higher education, the legislature and the private sector in partnerships to foster economic development in North Dakota.

My wife, Adele, and I both grew up in western Pennsylvania coal-mining towns. I am one of six children, all of whom earned college degrees (including three brothers with Ph.D. degrees, I am one of them). I met Adele (Kiel), one of ten children in her family, in college while I was playing in a band. We married in 1963. We have three children: Rick (Minneapolis), Michele Adams (Springfield, Va.) and Jason (Bowling Green, Ky.),and four grandchildren. As an avid outdoorsman, I enjoy fishing and black-powder hunting. I also dabble in art, enjoy singing folk songs, and I have even recorded a song.
(http://www.und.edu/president/html/bio.html)


In my eyes, It is up to the elders of the souix tribe to determine whether the use of their name as a mascot is acceptable or not. I made a commitment to this school to make sure it serves Native American as both students and citizens of this region.

Winona Yepa (Jury Member #6)

My name is Winona Yepa. I am 55 years old. I am a Wahpeton- sioux. I am part of the Dakota Plains Wahpeton First Nation in Manitoba Canada. I have been known as a leader for my tribe. I am reveried as a wise women to many of my people. I worked as a High school teacher and principal at the local high school. I have 5 children all over the age of 16. I have been a spokes women for my tribe on many occasions. This business about UND's use of the "fighting Sioux" mascot troubles me. Part of me feels that it could be a way to honor our people by having our name represent them and serve as a icon to them. What troubles me is, i feel like it could be mocking my people also. Being a mother and a teacher i have had much experience with children and teens and i feel that however the intentions of the name could be starting off innocent i think that many of the schools students, will not have enough respect for what the mascot truely represents.