WASHINGTON — Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Chair Burgess Owens (R-UT), House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), and House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) led a follow-up letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland requesting additional information about the reports of widespread misconduct and abuse at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU).

“Haskell Indian Nations University should be a shining example for Native students, but instead, it’s facing serious problems with mismanagement and misconduct,” said Rep. Owens. “The ongoing issues of retaliation and abuse are unacceptable and a betrayal of students and their families. As we continue our investigation, I urge the Biden-Harris administration to step in, bring transparency to these issues, and restore the trust that these communities deserve. We need to take strong action to make HINU a safe and supportive place for learning.”

To read the full letter, click here. 

Background:

HINU is the only four-year university operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), with federal support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). HINU’s student body comprises students from federally recognized tribes across the nation.

HINU has a well-documented history of mismanagement, misconduct, and retaliation against students and employees. In November 2018, the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General (DOI OIG) published a report highlighting significant allegations of official mishandling of complaints regarding sexual assault, bullying, nepotism, employee favoritism, and fraud. Since the publication of the DOI OIG report, allegations of misconduct, dysfunction, and retaliation have only increased. As a result of these issues, HINU has been unable to retain leadership. HINU’s latest president, Frank Arpan, is the university’s eighth president in six years.

Haaland has emphasized her role as the first Indigenous female cabinet member and the impact her position will have on transforming native communities. Yet during her tenure, malfeasance has plagued HINU, the institution meant to be the pinnacle of BIE-operated schools. In 2022, BIE investigated misconduct at HINU reported by students and faculty. BIE’s investigation concluded with the Haskell Indian Nations University – Administrative Investigation Report, which detailed serious widespread abuse and misconduct allegations. 

Despite repeated requests, committee staff were only provided highly redacted portions of the report during the initial phases of their investigation. After requesting more information, staff were invited to review less redacted copies of the report, posing significant limitations and ultimately leading to more questions about the details of the report. Today’s letter is part of the continued effort by the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Education and the Workforce’s continued effort to hold the Biden-Harris administration responsible for the routine misconduct at HINU. 

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