Haskell University employees silenced amid mass layoffs and uncertainty

Yahoo

05-03-2025

In the middle of mass layoffs at Haskell University, staff and faculty are being encouraged to not speak to media.
University president Francis Arpan on Feb. 25 sent out a campus-wide email reminding staff and faculty that they couldn't speak out about recent changes, including the layoffs, without authorization from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Education.
"As federal employees, we should coordinate with BIE Communications before participating in media interviews in an official capacity," Aspen's email read. "Additionally, any information obtained through federal employment should be shared only with proper coordination and approval. If you receive a media inquiry, please refer it to Jennifer Bell with BIE at [e-mail]-.
"If you choose to participate in a media interview in your personal capacity, it must be done outside of duty hours and should not imply official representation of the University, BIE, or DOI."
The layoffs are the result of a nation-wide federal employee layoff effort by President Donald Trump's administration.
After five emails and multiple phone calls from The Capital-Journal, a BIE spokesperson responded a week after the first initial request for comment.
"The Bureau reaffirms its unwavering commitment to providing BIE students with a quality and culturally appropriate education in a safe, healthy and supportive environment, while prioritizing fiscal responsibility for the American people," a spokesperson for BIE said. "We do not have a comment on personnel matters, however, Interior will continue to uphold federal responsibilities to tribal communities as we embrace new opportunities for optimization and innovation in workforce management."
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, said he intends to get more information about the layoffs and the impact it will have on the student body.
'I have requested more information from (Interior) Secretary Burgum on these layoffs and urged the secretary to make certain the university has an adequate workforce to prevent disruptions for students enrolled at Haskell," Moran said in a written statement. "I will continue working with the tribal community to refine draft text of the Haskell Indian Nations Improvement Act, legislation I plan to introduce with Representative Tracey Mann to provide the university with a federal charter, separating it from the Bureau of Indian Education.
"The termination of Haskell employees underscores the urgency of disentangling the university from federal oversight, allowing Haskell to better serve Native students more effectively.'
In December, Moran announced his intention to introduce a bill with U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann that would remove governing control of Haskell University from the Bureau of Indian Education to the Haskell Board of Regents and still maintain federal funding for the university.
'Haskell Indian Nations University is a one-of-a-kind, historic institution that was established to meet the educational needs of students of any federally recognized tribe,' Mann said in the December announcement. 'Haskell should be a crown jewel for both Native Americans and Kansas, but for far too long has been failed by the federal government. For years, the U.S. Department of Interior and the Bureau of Indian Education has mismanaged the university, failed to comply with federal oversight, and turned a blind eye to misconduct that has been detrimental to Haskell students.
"It is obvious that the best way to protect Haskell's rich heritage and culture is to charter the university and remove its governance from the federal bureaucrats to a Board of Regents nominated by Tribal communities. This new chapter for Haskell is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it's imperative that those most directly impacted have a welcome, active voice in helping us enact this change.'
Students and staff of the university protested Feb. 24 at the capital to demonstrate their desire to have the faculty and staff reinstated.
"Haskell is going through a really tough time right now," Haskell senior Kylie Standingwater said during the protest. "So, right now we're just kind of fighting for what we believe is right, trying to get our instructors back, trying to get the employees that we believe need to be back."
Standingwater said about 50 employees were laid off, including SEVEN faculty members. This accounts for roughly one-third of the employees at Haskell University, according to the university's staff directory.
"Haskell is, you know, the future of Indigenous education," Standingwater said during the protest. "And, you know, taking that away is going to hurt future generations. So, that's what we're fighting for. It's not just our education that matters. It's future generations. It's our grandchildren, our nieces and nephews.
"You know, we want to go back to our reservations better and make them better than what we found it and taking Haskell away is going to make sure that doesn't happen."
The Haskell Foundation, a Lawrence-based nonprofit organization, is raising money to support staff and faculty laid off and overall needs at Haskell University.
The foundation's website says some of what they are raising money for is for three to four coaches on a part-time contract of three months; a bus driver for three months; general staff; 13 custodial staff or contracting cleaning services for three months; two to four dining staff for three months; and tutors.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Haskell University employees silenced amid mass layoffs, uncertainty