Republicans seek information about alleged misconduct at Haskell Indian Nations University

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Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. Photo: Auntie G

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Indianz.Com

Republican lawmakers in Congress are investigating the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) over numerous allegations of misconduct at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) in Kansas.

In a letter dated July 2, leaders on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the House Committee on Natural Resources say they have repeatedly asked the BIA for more information about allegations of harassment, bullying, nepotism, theft and sexual assault at Haskell. They are focusing on a document, known as the AIB (Administrative Investigation Board) report that looked into complaints from students and former employees at the institution.

“The now publicly available but heavily redacted AIB Report describes serious assertions and findings of misconduct at HINU that ravaged HINU student and faculty welfare,” the four Republican lawmakers wrote in the letter to BIE Director Tony Dearman. “Disturbingly, several cases of sexual assault were reportedly disregarded.”

In the letter, the lawmakers asked Dearman to provide “unredacted” versions of the AIB report, which dates to November 7, 2022. The publicly available version, a copy of which has been posted at bia.gov, consists of 80 pages and is dated January 13, 2023.

The Republicans also want an explanation of any edits made to the report, along with “unredacted” copies of the exhibits. The publicly available version lists 103 exhibits, consisting of student complaints, transcripts of testimony, letters, emails and other documents.

“To assist the Committees with our investigation, please provide the following records, documents, communications, or information, in electronic format, as soon as possible, but no later than July 10, 2024,” the letter states in giving the BIE until next week to comply.

The AIB report, whose full title is Allegations of Harassment, Bullying, Nepotism, Theft, Sexual Assault, Workplace Harassment/Intimidation/Bullying, Fraud, Waste and Abuse, and Drinking on Campus at Haskell Indian Nations University, located in Lawrence, Kansas, has been the subject of considerable interest. A watchdog group known as Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility filed a lawsuit against the BIE in federal court after seeking the report through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a federal law.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs has posted a redacted copy of the AIB report, as well as other documents connected to the report, on its FOIA Electronic Reading Room. The documents, some of which run hundreds of pages, are found under a section titled “Frequently Requested FOIA Documents.”

Haskell University Investigative Report Case # DOI-22-HCI-033-BIA

Haskell University Investigative Report Case # DOI-22-HCI-039-BIA

HINU Administrative Investigation January 13, 2023

HINU Adminstrative Investigation Exhibits 1-103 Part 1

HINU Adminstrative Investigation Exhibits 1-103 Part 2

HINU Adminstrative Investigation Exhibits 1-103 Part 3

HINU Adminstrative Investigation Exhibits 1-103 Part 4

The July 2 letter to the BIE was signed by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-North Carolina), chair of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Arkansas), chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources. It was joined by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), chair of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Arizona), chair of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s jurisdiction includes higher education programs, like those provided at Haskell. The panel recently advanced a bipartisan bill to investigate the Indian boarding school era.

The House Committee on Natural Resources exercises jurisdiction over Indian issues. However, the House Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs did not join the letter about Haskell.