Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to Sign MOU with Idaho State University

Chaiman Nathan Small – Native News Online photo by Levi Rickert

Published April 9, 2019 

FORT HALL, Idaho — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (Tribes) have been working with Idaho State University (ISU) to develop an agreement to work together to enhance education and training opportunities for Tribal members. The signing will take place in Fort Hall at the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Chambers at 11:00 a.m. on April 9, 2019.

“We are pleased to come together to sign this Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to proactively strengthen the relationship between ISU and our Tribe. The MOU addresses improving ISU’s Student Services, providing access for Tribal members to participate and enroll in ISU, commit to continuing existing programs at ISU, and develop new academic programs and curriculum to benefit all Tribal students,” said Chairman Nathan Small.

The MOA will provide the framework for formal government meetings between ISU and the Tribes and establishes a new Tribal/University Advisory Board (TUAB) to oversee the Strategic Proprieties that will implement the terms of this MOA. The Advisory Board will be comprised of four representatives from the Tribes and four representatives from ISU, along with two Shoshone-Bannock Tribal member ISU students.  Their first meeting will occur within one month after the signing of the MOA.

The MOA also clearly identifies a process for internal and external communications, and agrees to work cooperatively to address campus-wide diversity initiatives to educate on cultural awareness, increase representatives of Native Americans in faculty, staff and administrators.  Both parties agree to strive to create an open and honest discourse on culture, race and Native American current issues, including the establishment of Indigenous People’s Day on the 2^nd Monday of October.

The Idaho State University campus is located within the original Fort Hall Indian Reservation boundaries, on lands ceded in the 1888 Cessation Act, and the Tribes have always sought to improve the educational opportunities to Tribal members. For the first time in fall of 2018, ISU offers reduced tuition rate for Native American students enrolled in an Idaho Tribe for technical school, undergraduate and graduate school students. More information on the reduced tuition click here: https://www.isu.edu/idahotribes/