Native American affairs update: new American Indian studies PhD cohort, NAGPRA progress and Cloquet Forestry Center agreements reported

Karen Diver, senior advisor to the president for Native American affairs, delivered the University of Minnesota’s annual update to the Board of Regents on May 9, focusing on academic programs, repatriation work under NAGPRA, tribal partnerships and workforce development.

Diver said the newly launched American Indian studies PhD admitted its first cohort after a long‑standing demand: the program drew 33 applicants and admitted five students. She said undergraduate and graduate enrollment in Native American programs held steady and that the Native American Promise tuition program — a tuition and fee waiver referenced in the presentation — is applied after federal and state aid and before tribal scholarships.

On repatriation, Diver reported progress under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). She said movement has occurred on the repatriation of the Mimbres collection; the Hopi tribe has resolved location issues and the university anticipates working with the Hopi as the lead tribe to repatriate ancestors and funerary objects in the fall (presentation cited October as a target). Diver said tribal representatives have been visiting campus to provide guidance on care and storage of ancestral remains and funerary objects and praised the work of the university’s NAGPRA coordinator.

Diver described new university efforts to support tribal partnerships: a tribal liaisons community of practice (deans were asked to designate staff to serve as liaisons), an Indigenous research policy and guidelines being operationalized, and a tribal research request form that brings tribal liaison and advisor input into research planning earlier. She said those trainings and resources are being widely used: the training hub course tied to the Indigenous research guidelines had more than 1,100 completions to date.

Diver also updated the board on the Cloquet Forestry Center relationship with Fond du Lac band officials, reporting that a suite of agreements is near completion that would allow long‑term tenancy by the university, and that the band has been an engaged partner on natural resources and workforce development activities. She noted that legislative action may be needed to finalize some elements, and that the final outcome depends on the legislature.

Regents asked how shifts in federal and state aid could affect the Native American Promise program; Diver said program funding is budgeted to account for federal and state aid and that any material changes in aid would require revisiting the program’s affordability and structure with senior leaders and the president. Board members thanked Diver for the update and praised the expanded training, consultation and partnership work with tribal governments.