fbpx
facebook app symbol  twitter  linkedin  instagram 1
 

Legislation has been introduced in Congress by two Kansas lawmakers that will give the Haskell Board of Regents governance over Haskell Indian Nations University. If enacted, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) would be removed from operating the Lawrence, Kansas-based university. 

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Tracey Mann, announced the draft legislation in a news release Monday.

Enjoying Native News Coverage?
NNO Logo Make A Donation Here

The legislation comes on the heels a congressional hearing held on July 23, 2024 that was filled with accusations of decades of mismanagement, nepotism, and toxicity at Haskell Indian Nations University.

“The bureau has failed to protect students, respond to my congressional inquiries or meet the basic infrastructure needs of the school,” Moran said in the release. “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 and no longer fettered to the Bureau of Indian Education.”

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Chairman Joseph Rupnick praised the legislation.

“I am thankful that Sen. Moran and Rep. Mann have introduced this legislation to strengthen Haskell as a federally chartered university to further the federal government’s treaty and trust responsibility to Indian people,” said Joseph Rupnick, Chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. “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.”

Sen. Moran and Rep. Mann are seeking feedback from the Native American, Lawrence and higher education communities on the proposed legislation to ensure the bill effectively addresses key issues at Haskell University.

The university was once a Indian boarding school. It opened in 1884 under the name of United States Indian Industrial Training School with an enrollment of 22 Native American students. Within a semester the enrollment grew to 400 Native students from various tribes from various points of the country.

In 1887, the school was renamed for Dudley C. Haskell who fought during the Civil War in the Union Army in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and in the Indian Territory. Some 20 years later, Haskell served in Congress as a representative from Kansas. While in Congress, he served as the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for two years. During this time, he supported legislation to establish off-reservation Indian boarding schools in Kansas, Nebraska and in Indian Territory to be modeled after the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Haskell died unexpectedly in late 1883 

In the early 1930s, industrial training became an important part of the school’s curriculum. By 1935, Haskell became known for post high school vocational training. In 1965, Haskell graduated its last high school class.

During the early 1970s, the school began offering a junior college curriculum and was known as Haskell Indian Junior College. 1999, the U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs approved a change in the name, which became the “Haskell Indian Nations University.”

Some notable Native Americans who have attended Haskell are Olympic great Jim Thorpe (Sac & Fox/Potawatomi), Billy Mills (Oglala Sioux Tribe), and Rep. Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk), a Democrat serving Kansas’ third congressional district. 

More Stories Like This

Native Forward Scholars Fund Announces 2025 Students of the Year at Empowering Scholars Summit
Navajo Nation Speaker Curley and Council Delegate Dr. Nez Join Education Leaders to Address Federal Budget Cuts
Mackie Moore (Cherokee) Named Interim President of Haskell Indian Nations University
Mohawk Students File Legal Suit Over Changes Impacting Access to Federal Financial Aid
Trump Administration Proposes Deep Cuts to Tribal College Funding, Threatening Their Survival

Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions

At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.

The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.

Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.

This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.

We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.

Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.

Levi headshotThe stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.

Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.

Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher

 
 
About The Author
Levi Rickert
Author: Levi RickertEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Levi "Calm Before the Storm" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at [email protected].