BSU President Dr. Marlene Tromp signs MOA with FHBC Chairman Devon Boyer.
By DANA HERNANDEZ
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and Boise State University implemented a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and conducted signing ceremony on Tuesday, November 9 in the FHBC conference room.
Boise State University President, Dr. Marlene Tromp met with FHBC signing the MOA with FHBC Chairman Devon Boyer. The Tribal Advisory Board for the Boise State University MOA was also introduced and those newly designated members are Talia Martin, Jeannette Wolfley and Sydni Hair. Also present was tribal attendees, Yvette Towersap Tuell and Jessica James.
Wolfley said she has never been on an advisory board before and that it will be a learning experience. “I think it’s an opportunity to be creative and come up with some innovative approaches to help students at university to connect with tribal community here and the faculty at Boise State.”
Talia Martin said she can’t take much credit because all she did was pick up the phone and say yes to Yvette. She added, “I am excited about the new opportunities for our youth, that our generation did not have.”
According to the MOA Summary: “The MOA is meant for collaboration regarding educational services, research, and economic development by and between the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and Boise State University. The MOA is for 5 years, with an annual review. The Tribes does not waive sovereign immunity with the agreement.”
According to the MOA Summary, there are listed six agreements:
1. Formal governmental consultation- commit to regular meetings between the leadership of Boise State University and the leadership of the Tribes.
2. Tribal advisory board- commit to establishment of a Tribal Advisory Board for the purpose of providing oversight of the Strategic Priorities, to include making recommendations for changes and/or adjustments, short and long-term planning, and the monitoring and evaluation of the Strategic Priorities. Also, the Tribal Advisory Board is a 3 year term; and the Tribal student representative is a 1 year minimum term given first preference to a Sho-Ban Tribal student, second preference given to an enrolled member of an Idaho Tribe, and third preference given to an enrolled member of any federally recognized Tribe.
3. Communications- commit to establishing clearly defined processes for open and frequent communication between the two parties.
4. Awareness and representation- commit to campus-wide initiatives that provide increased Native American cultural awareness. Proactively work to ensure that qualified candidate who are representative of the Native American population are included in employee recruitment pools at all levels.
5. Indigenous Peoples Day- commit to a campus recognition and celebration of Indigenous peoples.
6. Strategic priorities- commit to advancing the following strategic priorities to improve the quality of educational services and opportunities for Shoshone-Bannock Tribal students and other American Indian students enrolled at Boise State University.
Fort Hall Business Council with the Boise State representatives and the Tribal Advisory Board.
The Strategic Priorities listed in the MOA are:
1. Student access- commit to student success initiatives which improve the success of Shoshone-Bannock Tribal students
2. Access- commit to developing initiatives that increase and expand access for Shoshone-Bannock Tribal students to participate and enroll in programs at Boise State.
3. Programs- commit to ensure development of existing and essential non-existing academic programs and curriculum to benefit Tribal students and the Tribes. (Tribes have identified the following programs- federal Indian law, policy, and governance; hospitality and management; public health and medical services; teacher education; Native American studies; programs/anthropology; psychology and social work; biological and natural resources; business; IT/data management; and workforce development.)
4. Research, Preservation, Protection, and Management- commit to establishing mutually agreeable protocols for research related to or involving the Tribes, as well as increasing greater academic discourse between Boise State University and the Tribes.
5. Awareness and Representation- commit to campus wide initiatives that provide increased Native American cultural awareness. Proactively work to ensure that qualified candidates who are representative of the Native American population are included in employee recruitments pools at all levels.
FHBC Chairman Devon Boyer concluded the signing event by stating, “as Native people here in Idaho, we’ve been on the short end of the stick in the past. We’re learning from that and we’re growing from that and this opportunity now gets to expand us from that. I thank everyone for all their efforts and everything we’re trying to do to make things possible for the future.”