Haskell University Gains Corporate Status, $5M Endowment Match, and Full Independence from Bureau of Indian Education

This bill, the Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act, is a massive overhaul that transforms Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) from a school managed by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) into an independent, federally chartered corporation. Essentially, Congress is giving the university its own keys and a new credit card, establishing an independent Board of Trustees to run the show, and mandating a significant financial and structural cleanup to ensure the school can deliver tuition-free, high-quality education to Native American students.

The Corporate Charter: Trading Bureaucracy for Board Meetings

For decades, HINU has been stuck operating under the BIE, leading to documented issues with facility maintenance, administration, and financial management. This Act cuts that cord (SEC. 2). By establishing HINU as a federally chartered corporation (SEC. 5), the University gains the independence to set its own policies and manage its own affairs, directed by a new 15-member Board of Trustees (SEC. 8). These trustees, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, must be enrolled members of Indian Tribes or recognized experts in education, finance, or law, ensuring Tribal representation and professional oversight. The University’s core mission remains: offering tuition-free scholarly study for Native American students (SEC. 6).

Financial Freedom and the Endowment Game

This new corporate status is a huge financial win. First, the University and all its assets become completely exempt from federal, state, local, and Tribal taxes (SEC. 16). Second, the bill sets up a major endowment program (SEC. 20). Congress authorizes an initial $5 million appropriation for a trust fund in Fiscal Year 2026, and promises to match up to another $5 million that HINU raises privately. This is a game-changer: HINU can now tap into private and Tribal donations, using the interest earned from the endowment to cover operating expenses like maintenance, staff pay, and student services, giving it financial stability outside of the annual federal appropriations process.

What It Means for Staff: Out of Civil Service, Into New Rules

If you currently work at HINU as a federal employee, this section is critical. The bill explicitly states that most federal civil service rules (Title 5) will no longer apply to University staff (SEC. 12). On the day the Act is enacted, all civil service positions at the University automatically end. The new University President, under the Board’s direction, will establish new employment policies within 180 days, covering everything from pay scales to firing procedures. While this allows the University flexibility to hire specialized talent and set competitive pay, it means employees are now under the Board’s rules, not the standard federal system. Importantly, the bill mandates that the University must contribute to employee health and retirement benefits at a rate equal to what federal agencies pay for similar plans (SEC. 13), and the Department of the Interior’s Inspector General will audit this annually.

Fixing the Buildings and Mandating Accountability

Addressing the historical neglect of the campus—which includes 12 National Historic Landmarks—the bill requires the Board to develop a comprehensive, multi-phase facilities master plan (SEC. 22). This plan must be submitted to Congress within two years and updated every five years thereafter. This is the bill’s way of saying, “No more excuses for deferred maintenance.” Furthermore, the University must submit detailed annual reports to Congress, including a full accounting of all funds received and spent, and the Board must submit a two-year budget proposal every year (SEC. 23). This level of mandatory transparency is designed to prevent the past administrative and financial issues that prompted this legislation.

The Preference Clause and Vague Language

One provision that stands out is the new policy allowing the University to give preference in admissions, hiring, contracts, and fellowships to members of Indian Tribes, descendants of members, or those who can prove at least 1/4 blood quantum (SEC. 14). While this aligns with the University’s mission, the bill mandates that the President must give preference in hiring “as much as they possibly can.” This phrase is vague. It’s not a hard rule, but a subjective standard, meaning the actual strength of the Tribal hiring preference will depend entirely on the interpretation and enforcement by the new University President and Board.