The University of Minnesota's ongoing mission to enhance its relationship with Tribal Nations has seen steady movement, with the Board of Regents set to discuss the university’s advances over the last year and plans for future initiatives this June, an approach rooted in the institution's five-year strategic MPact 2025 program. Details on the university's strides and strategic moves can be found on the University of Minnesota news page, which cites the steps taken in response to the TRUTH Report — a comprehensive exposition produced by Minnesota's 11 Tribal Nations that addresses the shared past between them and the university.
"Regular engagement with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, Tribal leaders, and community members to listen, collaborate, and take meaningful action toward open and respectful relationships has been a priority for this Board and University leadership in recent years," said Board Chair Janie Mayeron, acknowledging the recent efforts to improve connections with the communities, this engagement, accompanied by the toil for a respectful communion has informed the University's latest initiatives; among them, modifications to the University's Native American Promise Program that now extends beyond tuition assistance to tackle lodging fees, thus aiding 38 students in the 2023-2024 academic cycle. Further details about these objectives were provided by Karen Diver, senior advisor to the President and head of the Office of Native American Affairs, to the Board.
The report further sheds light on imminent developments such as the anticipated finalization of the University's Indigenous Research Policy by the end of June, making U of M the first of its kind to enact such guidance for research among America's premier research institutions. The report also mentions the addition of a doctoral program in the American Indian Studies department, a pioneering step for the 55-year-old program, with the newly minted department expecting to occupy a renovated space in Pattee Hall on the Twin Cities campus by fall 2025. Diver's report points out these as shining examples of the University's commitment to serving Native American communities and learners and obtaining feedback through the partnerships created with Tribal leaders and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.
Among the other actions to be discussed in the Board's June meeting are adopting the 2024-25 meeting schedule, discussions on health sciences strategic planning, the enactment of the 2025 fiscal capital improvement and operating budgets, a review of the Rochester Campus Plan, a discussion on the University’s centrally held endowment, an update on enrollment coordination and stratagem across the University's campuses and notable amendments to the Board of Regents Policy regarding Tuition and Fees, the agenda also includes a resolution about the honorary naming of Nicholson Hall and receiving annual reports from governance leaders representing faculty and staff; finally, the gathering will also commemorate the work of outgoing Interim President Jeff Ettinger.
