Haskell University Gains Autonomy, $5M Endowment Match, and Tribal-Only Enrollment Option in Major Restructuring Bill

The Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act is set to completely overhaul one of the nation’s most important Native American educational institutions. This bill takes Haskell Indian Nations University out from under the direct management of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and establishes it as a federally chartered corporation, complete with its own independent Board of Trustees. The goal is simple: fix long-standing administrative and maintenance issues by giving the University the freedom to manage its own affairs and raise private money, all while reaffirming the federal commitment to Tribal education.

Trading Bureaucracy for Board Control

For anyone who’s ever been frustrated by slow-moving government bureaucracy, this is the core of the bill. Currently, Haskell is run by the BIE. This Act swaps that out for a new 15-member Board of Trustees, appointed by the President with Senate approval, who must all be enrolled members of Indian Tribes (Sec. 8). This new Board gets full control over setting the University's policy, managing its departments, and overseeing its budget. This shift is designed to cut through the red tape that has reportedly hindered the school’s ability to maintain its campus and educational quality.

This newfound autonomy extends to staffing. The new University President, hired by the Board, gains the power to set pay and working conditions outside of standard federal civil service rules (Sec. 12). This means the University can be more flexible in hiring top-tier faculty and staff—a big benefit for recruitment. However, there’s a catch for current employees: on the day the Act becomes law, their existing civil service jobs are terminated. While they can keep working for the new corporation, they must pass a background check and lose their federal civil service protections, though they do get credit for accrued leave.

The $5 Million Match and Fundraising Power

To address the University’s chronic financial instability, the bill creates a robust endowment program. The federal government is authorized to contribute an initial $5 million to the trust fund and match subsequent private donations dollar-for-dollar up to $5 million annually (Sec. 20, Sec. 24). This is a huge incentive for private donors and Indian Tribes to invest in the University, as every dollar they raise effectively becomes two. The interest earned from this trust fund can be used to cover nearly any operating expense, from maintenance to staff salaries.

To make private fundraising easier, the University is officially granted tax-exempt status, meaning donations are treated the same as contributions to any other charitable organization (Sec. 16). This new financial flexibility is critical for a school that previously relied solely on annual Congressional appropriations. The bill also specifies that any federal funding received under this Act won’t count against the University when it applies for other federal grants that require matching funds (Sec. 19), ensuring that this new money doesn't accidentally penalize them elsewhere.

Preference for Tribal Members in Admissions and Hiring

One of the most significant changes is the explicit allowance for preference in admissions and hiring. The University now has the option to create a policy where enrollment is limited only to members of an Indian Tribe, descendants of a Tribal member, or those who can prove at least one-quarter Native American blood quantum (Sec. 14). While Haskell has always focused on serving Native students, this provision gives the University the legal authority to exclude non-Tribal members entirely from enrollment, solidifying its focus.

This preference extends to the workplace: the University President must give preference in hiring, contracting, and awarding fellowships to members of Indian Tribes (Sec. 14). For Tribal members, this is a clear benefit, ensuring the institution remains culturally relevant and staffed by Native professionals. For everyone else—including non-Tribal academics or administrators who might have considered working there—the hiring pool just got a lot smaller, which is a necessary trade-off for the bill’s core mission.

Clean Slate and Property Transfer

Finally, the bill addresses the legacy of past administrative troubles. All federal property, including the 320-acre campus and its 44 buildings in Lawrence, Kansas, is transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services to the new University corporation (Sec. 18). Crucially, the Secretary of the Interior remains responsible for all debts and obligations incurred by the old institution before this Act was signed, giving the new corporation a clean financial slate (Sec. 17). This means the new Board can focus on future growth and maintenance rather than settling old bills and lawsuits.