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OSU, tribes
plan Indian college
OKMULGEE
-- Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma tribal leaders will
look into establishing the state's first tribally controlled
college.
Leaders
of the Five Civilized Tribes have agreed to endorse the development
of a small, two-year college for Oklahoma's American Indian
population, Creek Nation Chief Perry Beaver said.
A
task force of tribal leaders, led by the Creek Nation, is
working toward creating the college that could be called the
"American Indian University."
The
proposed American Indian University has the endorsement of
OSU President David Schmidly, who said the joint venture between
OSU and the tribes looks to be a good fit.
If
established, the American Indian college would be overseen
by the Creek Nation Board of Regents, which also would have
to be established.
The
Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee and Seminole tribes are supporting
the establishment of the American Indian University.
Preliminary
plans would have the school located at the OSU-Okmulgee campus
if federal funding is secured, said Bob Klabenes, president
of OSU-Technical Branch in Okmulgee.
If
funding is obtained, the tribal college would share OSU-Okmulgee
facilities without disrupting OSU's technical educational
programs, Klabenes said.
Indian
leaders believe that families from Oklahoma's 39 federally
recognized Indian tribes would support the new college. Enrollment
options for non-Indian students have not been decided.
"One-fourth
of Oklahoma's population is Indian, and many other states
have these colleges, so why not Oklahoma?" Beaver asked.
Beaver
said the proposed American Indian University in Okmulgee could
offer degree programs specific to Indian nation operations,
such as Indian gaming management, hazardous waste management,
transportation management, law enforcement and fire safety.
The
task force hopes to have a proposal submitted for federal
funding within six months.
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