Draft legislation removes HINU from BIA control while retaining federal funding
BY: TIM CARPENTER
Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — Two Republicans in the Kansas congressional delegation propose Haskell Indian Nations University be granted a federal charter to operate under authority of the Haskell Board of Regents rather than the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Tracey Mann said the legislation transferring control of HINU while maintaining federal funding to the university was drafted in response to BIA incompetence that damaged educational opportunities for Native Americans on the Lawrence campus.
Brittany Hall, president of the Haskell Board of Regents, said the university encountered barriers to progress and innovation that stemmed from operational constraints within BIA and its parent agency the U.S. Department of Interior.
“These challenges, while not unique to Haskell, underscore the critical need for a more tailored governance model empowered by a U.S. congressional charter — one that enables the university to thrive while better serving its students and communities,” Hall said.
Moran said HINU previously provided students from federally recognized tribes a tuition-free education in an environment that prioritized indigenous culture, but the Bureau of Indian Affairs for years had “neglected and mismanaged” the university.
“The bureau has failed to protect students, respond to my congressional inquiries or meet the basic infrastructure needs of the school,” Moran said. “It is clear that the best path forward is for the university to be led by an independent Board of Regents nominated by the tribal community.”
There has been frustration the BIA was unwilling to address concerns raised by the tribal community, including reports of sexual harassment on campus. The university has operated without sufficient financial support of essential programs and has grappled with a high dropout rate. Campus infrastructure is outdated and technology is obsolete.
Mann, who serves the 1st District that includes Lawrence, said HINU should be the jewel of Native American education. That goal hasn’t been attained, he said, because the university “for far too long has been failed by the federal government.”
“It is obvious that the best way to protect Haskell’s rich heritage and culture is to charter the university and remove its governance from the federal bureaucrats to a Board of Regents nominated by tribal communities,” Mann said. “This new chapter for Haskell is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it’s imperative that those most directly impacted have a welcome, active voice in helping us enact this change.”
Initial conversations about the draft of reform legislation have occurred with the Haskell Board of Regents, tribal members and students and staff at the university. Moran and Mann requested public comment on the concept be sent to [email protected] by Feb. 1.
Joseph Rupnick, chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, said he appreciated work by members of the Kansas congressional delegation on legislation furthering the federal government’s treaty and trust responsibilities to Indian people.
“I look forward to discussions in the new year with tribal leaders and Haskell alums, faculty and students so that this bill can safeguard Haskell’s future and its funding,” Rupnick said.
The four-year university enrolls about 1,000 students. Students are drawn from more than 130 federally recognized tribes.