Strategy 4.2.1 (Interdependence)
Expand and publicly express UM’s interdependence with tribal communities and Montana’s Indigenous peoples.
Owners/Accountable Party
- President
- Chief of Staff
- Tribal Relations Specialist
- Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Actions
Near-term Actions
- Explore criteria to become an Indigenous Serving Institution
- Support NAGPRA efforts in partnership with tribal governments
- Launch the Elders in Residence Program and provide broad community opportunities to engage and learn
- Track the Carnegie Foundations development of an Indigenous Serving Institution classification and pursue efforts to qualify
- Develop a webpage that outlines the history and purpose of the land acknowledgement while emphasizing the need for action
- Provide guidance to departments/units on land acknowledgement and the importance of demonstrating how the acknowledgment impacts actions
- Host N7 games on UM campus
Future Actions
Completed and Ongoing Actions
- Began consultations with Salish Culture Committee to explore updating land acknowledgement
- Annually hosting the Tribal College Presidents on campus as an opportunity for collaboration and to learn from their expertise and experience
- Hired a NAGRPA coordinator
- Secured $1M Mellon grant to support the preservation and sharing of Indigenous knowledge