Updates & Statements

May 19, 2023

Dear DU community members,
 
Before we close on another academic year and celebrate graduating students, I’d like to share some updates on how the University is serving and connecting with the Native American and Indigenous community on campus and in the Rocky Mountain region.  
 
New Recruiter Position

With the support of our Native American and Indigenous community partners, including Tribal leaders from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations, the University of Denver is moving forward with the creation of a recruiting position dedicated to Native American and Indigenous prospective students. The official job description and title are being drafted, and we will work closely with Tribal leaders before finalizing the position and conducting a search process. The goal of this position is to work directly with Native American and Indigenous communities in Colorado and beyond, with particular attention devoted to Cheyenne and Arapaho communities, to help attract and support prospective students and their families interested in attending the University of Denver.
 
Updated Advisory Structure 

For the past decade, the University of Denver has developed partnerships and collaborations with Tribal leaders from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations to address our shared and deeply painful past and ways in which we can work together for an inclusive, supportive future. The counsel of these Tribal leaders plays a critical role in helping the University successfully promote a fuller understanding of the history of the Sand Creek Massacre and the connection to our founder, John Evans. Importantly, we do this all while acknowledging the long-lasting impact the massacre has had on the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. Their counsel also helps DU create a supportive environment for Native community members on campus today. We are deeply grateful to all those who have been involved in this important work since 2013 and proud of how far we have come.
 
One structure in which we’ve benefited from the counsel of Cheyenne and Arapaho elders and community leaders, as well as leaders from other Native communities, is through the Native American Community Advisory Board (NACAB). Established in 2017 and reinvigorated again in 2020, NACAB is comprised of Tribal representatives of the Northern Cheyenne, Northern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations, as well as members of the Ute Mountain Ute community and Denver Native community.
When this group met most recently on March 24, 2023, they decided, in concert with DU leadership, that we have reached a point in our work together where it makes sense to evolve the structure. The NACAB will sunset by shifting into two new groups:.
•    The Cheyenne and Arapaho Council – This council, facilitated by Billy J. Stratton (PhD, American Indian Studies and DU liaison to the NACAB) will be comprised of the Tribal representatives from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations that have been working closely with DU since 2013: Otto Braided Hair and Conrad Fisher (Northern Cheyenne), Gail Ridgely (Northern Arapaho), and Max Bear and Eugene Blackbear (Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho of Oklahoma).

We are deeply grateful to Otto, Conrad, Gail, Max and Eugene for all their hard work and dedication to this point, and for the wise counsel they will continue to provide going forward on issues directly related to the Sand Creek Massacre and other concerns vital to Cheyenne and Arapaho communities, including a memorial on campus and other opportunities to educate and solemnly commemorate.

•    The Native American Advisory Council – This council will be comprised of representatives from Native and Indigenous communities here at DU while also providing opportunities for input and collaboration from members of Native and Indigenous communities beyond our institution. The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will partner with Native community members to draft the group’s official charge, ensuring their voices are central in this process. This group will be positioned to serve as a trusted and valued advisory group for the DU community on opportunities to engage and support.
 
These new structures, along with several new positions created over this time, are representative of how far we have come over the past ten years. It also serves to ensure we are being mindful and respectful of the time and capacities of Tribal leaders with whom we work so closely.
 
Dedicated Space

I shared this past fall that we had identified a house near campus that will serve as a dedicated space for Native students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and other visitors. This space will be a vital hub for connection, collaboration and cultural expression among DU’s Native community. Some members of the Native Students Alliance along with faculty and staff have had opportunities to tour the space and provide feedback. We are currently moving through the details that go into making sure this space best serves the community. We hope to unveil it soon!
 
Native American and Indigenous Studies Center

Provost Clark has been working this year with Angela Parker (PhD, Assistant Professor of History, CAHSS) and Kelly Fayard (PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology CAHSS) on developing a proposal for a Native American and Indigenous Studies Center, which involves three primary areas: reclaiming and preserving Native American and Indigenous languages; supporting Native American and Indigenous arts, including both visual and performing arts; and facilitating and promoting enrichment opportunities for Native American and Indigenous students, including fellowships and a visiting Elders program. They have begun the process of consulting with Tribal communities on these ideas, following consultations with the NACAB and with our Native American and Indigenous faculty, staff, and students.
 
I close with another heartful thank you to everyone who has served on NACAB and who will now serve in the two reorganized advisory groups. Your perspectives and advice play a role in helping all at DU feel a sense of belonging and support.

Sincerely,

Nov. 10, 2022

Dear DU community members,

I’d like to share some updates on how the University of Denver continues to move forward in its work to better serve Native American and Indigenous community members and strengthen our partnerships with leaders from the Northern Cheyenne, Northern Arapaho, and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho nations, as well as members of the broader Denver and Colorado Native communities.

Dedicated Space for the Native Community

I am pleased to share that we have identified a place to be used by Native students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni. This space will support community and connection between DU’s Native community and Native partners. It will augment the Community Commons—which will continue its vital role as a hub for all of DU, including our Native community members—by providing a shared location where our Native community members can connect with, learn from and support one another. Just as important, this space will provide a welcome entry for new Native students and their families into the Native community and activities at DU.

Facilities will work with the divisions of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence (SAIE), as well as with Native students, faculty and staff members, to ensure this space is inviting and that it will help cultivate and nurture a stronger sense of connection and appreciation for Native American community members at DU.

We are continuing to consult with Native community members about this space and hope to have more details to share before the end of the year, or at the beginning of 2023.

Elevating Work on Native American initiatives and Support

Stevie Lee, PhD, now serves as associate director for DEI, Native American initiatives. Stevie serves the DU community as a dedicated mentor, offering leadership and guidance for Native students across DU’s campus, as well as serving as a valuable liaison between the Native community and the University. Her new title and responsibilities reflect the scope of her work and her central role in providing support for Native community members at DU.

Christine (Chris) Nelson, PhD, joined the DEI team as the faculty director for Native American initiatives. Chris, working alongside Stevie Lee and other faculty directors, provides vision and assessment for the future of Native American initiatives at DU. Through this role and drawing on her scholarly expertise, Chris helps the University better serve our Native community.

In a more focused role as liaison to the Native American Community Advisory Board (NACAB), Billy J. Stratton, PhD, continues to meet regularly with tribal-appointed representatives, government officials, and elders from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations.

The Native American Community Advisory Board

In the spring of 2014, with the goal of strengthening and expanding collaborations and partnerships, then-Chancellor Robert Coombe made a commitment to the DU Native community and Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples at the New Beginnings Powwow held at DU. Two years later, in 2016, the importance of Cheyenne and Arapaho voices on campus was formally codified through the establishment of the NACAB, a recommendation made by the Native American Inclusivity Task Force established by then-Chancellor Rebecca Chopp.

The NACAB is an independent Native-community-based body, providing advice and counsel to the chancellor and other senior leaders. The NACAB also helps advocate for a nuanced understanding of Cheyenne and Arapaho history and culture on campus. Among the NACAB’s membership is a council of Sand Creek Massacre descendent representatives who are officially appointed by the tribal nations and who have long promoted and continue to advocate for increased and more culturally responsive education about the Sand Creek Massacre and their nations.

Native-led Archeological Survey at the Kennedy Mountain Campus

In the spring, the University met with stakeholders—including Native American community members from Colorado and beyond, as well as DU faculty members—regarding the James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus. A limited archaeological survey was conducted by a tribal historic preservation officer from the Crow Nation, which has ties to the area.

This survey found that while there are sites on the property of historic interest, none of the inspected sites related to past Native use of the property. The University will continue to consult with tribal cultural and archaeological specialists, including those serving on the NACAB, as we fully develop programming at the Kennedy Mountain Campus.

Native American Studies Center

Provost Mary Clark continues to work with anthropology professor Kelly Fayard, PhD, and history professor Angela Parker, PhD, as well as Native faculty, staff and students to refine the proposal for a Native American Studies Center at DU. They are currently presenting the draft of the proposal to stakeholders across the community, seeking feedback and input. Once that phase is completed, the proposal will be shared with foundations and philanthropists with keen interest in this field.

Continued Partnership with Duly Appointed Tribal Leaders

We are grateful to many as we move forward in our efforts—and especially to Stevie Lee, Billy Stratton and Chris Nelson—for their continued work to ensure the University of Denver is fostering collaborative partnerships with community members and with leaders and elders from the broader Denver and Colorado Native community.

One meaningful symbol of these partnerships is the University having the continued honor to display the Cheyenne and Arapaho national flags on our campus as a tribute to their sovereign political status and enduring connections to their traditional Colorado homelands. These flags were presented as gifts to DU by officials and traditional leaders of all three nations and reverently accepted by then-Provost Gregg Kvistad and Billy J. Stratton. This gracious and generous act was marked by a ceremony on campus that occurred in conjunction with the 2018 Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run and that emphasized a reinforced and burgeoning formal relationship.

Currently, these flags are displayed on the first floor of the Mary Reed Building. Throughout the past year, we hosted Cheyenne and Arapaho representatives on campus to tour the Community Commons as a potential location for the flags, ensuring they have a highly visible place of honor and significance.

Finally, the University is committed to work more closely together with tribal leaders to come to an official and shared understanding of our partnerships. This will enable us to advance our common goals and bring to life our complex history, through projects including a Sand Creek Massacre Memorial and reflection space on campus, and an educational and historical exhibit on the history of the Sand Creek Massacre and its legacy into the present.

We look forward to continuing these conversations and this important work.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Haefner

Chancellor

OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR

October 21, 2020
Dear DU community members,
 
On September 25, a peaceful protest was organized by the student-led group Righteous Anger. Healing Resistance. (RAHR). RAHR and the University of Denver’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) have circulated a list of seven demands included in a USG resolution.
 
I write to you today in response to the USG resolution, which reflects the voices of our student leaders, activists and their allies on campus. These students have called for the University of Denver to take concrete action to continue the vital work we have been engaged in to make our community a more equitable and inclusive campus—in particular for members of the Native American and Indigenous community and communities of color.
 
It is my hope that this message from our students, our response to it and the progress we have made in recent years can serve as a timely reminder of what the University of Denver stands for and as a reflection of our highest aspirations.

DU’s response to student demands
I.     Increase hiring and retention of faculty of color through equitable and sustainable practices (particularly Black and Native/Indigenous faculty)
As reported—most recently in my September 18 message to the community regarding the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan—Provost Mary Clark is working with Interim Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Tom Romero and our deans to actively “hire and retain diverse faculty candidates who have an accomplished track record (calibrated to their career stage) of teaching, research, or service activities addressing the needs of African American, Latinx, Native American, and Asian Pacific Islander students or communities.”
 
It is worth noting that since 2014, the percentage of full-time faculty of color at DU has increased from 14 percent to 20 percent. The effort to recruit a more diverse faculty is ongoing.
 
We are also in the process of hiring a Black Experience Coordinator who will identify specific programs, policies and practices to better recruit and retain Black faculty members.
 
In addition, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is working closely with the provost’s office to recruit and retain diverse faculty at all stages of their academic career by offering on-going training and development opportunities, including diversity, equity and inclusion training for those serving in the faculty search process. Another such practice is exploring programs sponsored by the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, of which DU is a member.
II.     Divest from any and all ties with ICE and all detention/correctional facilities
Regarding the presence of ICE on campus, it is important to stress that DU is committed to the protection and support of all who work and study here, including our undocumented students and staff. The University will not cooperate with immigration actions unless ordered by a court or similar process. Similarly, DU will not share information concerning its employees without the employee’s consent or as otherwise required by law.
 
The demand to divest from any and all ties with correctional facilities is a complex issue with no simple solution, and the University will not be able to fulfill these expectations. A number of DU faculty members conduct important, scholarly research connected to correctional facilities. This research often centers on supporting the rehabilitation, wellbeing and future success of those serving sentences within correctional facilities. Severing all ties with these facilities would adversely affect these goals and negatively impact incarcerated persons by reducing their access to valuable resources and relationships.
 
Moreover, students in our academic community may be interested in pursuing careers in law enforcement or working in correctional/detention facilities. Through their DU education, these students have the opportunity to make a lasting and positive impact on these systems to the ultimate benefit of incarcerated persons and society broadly. By eliminating educational connectivity, DU may unintentionally stand in the way of the very progress we hope to see in the criminal justice system.
III.     Create a Critical Race and Ethnic Studies department by June 2021
In accordance with the goals of DU IMPACT 2025, our strategic plan, DU announced in June 2019 the creation of a minor in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (CRES). Currently, 27 students are participating in the 20-credit minor, which explores race and ethnicity as categories of social, political, historical and cultural analysis in the United States and globally.
 
Provost Clark is working with the dean and faculty of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to build toward the expansion of the current minor into a major field of study. A faculty search for a hire to support CRES was recently approved for fall 2021.
 
The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) is also working with various academic units on campus to explore the creation of a graduate-level certificate and/or Master’s program in CRES.
IV.     Create a seat for students on the Board of Trustees by December 2020
Although no students—nor faculty or staff members—hold formal seats on our Board of Trustees, we have become increasingly conscientious about including the voices of all of our constituents in the structures where critical decisions are made.
 
Undergraduate and graduate student representatives currently sit on the Board of Trustees Committee on Learning and Student Success (CLASS). We will continue to look for additional ways to create engagement between students and trustees. The chair of the Board, Denise O’Leary, and I will ask CLASS to provide input and new ideas on the best way forward. At this time, the Board of Trustees is not adding a student, faculty or staff member to the full Board.
 
Additionally, DU’s Joint Council, which is comprised of 11 affinity groups, is now a formal branch of student government. The Joint Council meets quarterly with both the chancellor and the vice chancellor of student affairs, and members of the Joint Council will be invited to a Board of Trustees meeting in the winter or spring of 2021.
V.     Reconstitute the Native American Advisory Board
Next month, we will schedule new meetings with the current Native American Community Advisory Board (NACAB). Created as one of the recommendations of the Task Force on Native American Inclusivity, this standing body is made up of DU community members and representatives from the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute nations, as well as the Denver Native community. We will invite other interested parties from our campus community to the meeting and work to identify additional opportunities for student, staff, faculty and alumni engagement with the NACAB. Provost Clark and I will consult with the NACAB to determine the frequency of future meetings as well as subjects and initiatives to address. The group will communicate transparently and invite participation and feedback as we progress.
VI.     By June 2021, increase engagement with indigenous communities (e.g., through scholarships, mentorship programs, etc.) with a focus on the tribal nations with historical and contemporary connections to the state of Colorado
In the spirit of healing and peace, in addition to the commitments stated above, and based on recommendations and in collaboration with NACAB, we will place the flags gifted to us by the Northern Cheyenne, Northern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations, as agreed, in the new Community Commons. They will be displayed in a prominent place that respects and honors the renewed relationship formed through the collaborations initiated by the John Evans Study Committee.
 
Currently, the tribal flags are proudly displayed with informational placards on the first floor of the Mary Reed Building per an agreement with the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal representatives. This arrangement was made when the flags were originally gifted to DU via an action plan that came out of the first meeting of NACAB as part of the annual Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run in 2017. In the new display, and in response to the desires of the tribal representatives, we will add a white flag of truce and a 33-star U.S. flag to symbolize the same flags that were flying at the native encampment when the Sand Creek Massacre occurred.
 
We have also been in contact with the three respective Ute tribal governments to create a display on campus to honor their historical ties to the Denver region in a manner that distinguishes between the Ute Nation and the communities directly impacted by the Sand Creek Massacre and its legacy.
 
In addition, please refer to my February 24 message to the community, in which I shared a summary of our current work including a link to the 2016 report and recommendations from our Task Force on Native American Inclusivity. Many initiatives have resulted from that work, including the fostering of community partnerships with Cheyenne and Arapaho descendants and the ongoing support of the Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run through an official sponsorship that began in 2015. We will also permanently maintain our sponsorship of the Tall Bull Memorial Grounds, established in 2017, and reaffirm the critical importance of the DU New Beginnings Powwow as an event that helps DU achieve its goal to be a more inclusive and welcome home for our Native and Indigenous community members.
VII.     Eliminate the Pioneer moniker and all associations with it by February 2021
The usage of the Pioneer moniker is one of the most polarizing issues on our campus. Opinions are deeply entrenched both for and against. And though I have consulted many groups and individuals during the past year, including students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents, there is no doubt that we remain as polarized as ever. Many of these conversations have been difficult; passions run very deeply. I have tried, in all cases, to proceed with great care, deep listening, and an open mind. With that said, we have been discussing and debating the use of the moniker for years, and many of you have shared your view that it is time for a final decision to be made.
 
The word pioneer carries with it multiple, even contradictory meanings and associations. That is the nature of language: The meaning of words can change over time and across contexts. The effect words can have on us is powerful, but we also have the power to refine, revise and interpret language. For some, the word pioneer affirms that which is the very best of us and, for others, the very worst. It seems this word, and the very different responses to it, will always be contested on our campus. But we believe it is our obligation as educators to address head on our differences of opinion about the word and the important part of our past it embodies.
 
What we unconditionally denounce is the tragic violence and injustice against Native people denoted by the term pioneer. We acknowledge the findings of the John Evans Report, and we are committed to continuing and redoubling our efforts to educate our community about these wrongs.
 
What we avow is the pioneering spirit—the courage and resilience to think and act boldly; to break through barriers as explorers, innovators, and frontrunners into the future. When the scientist discovers a new cure, when the entrepreneur creates a new product or service, when the athlete breaks a new barrier—they each embody the pioneer spirit. This is what is at the core of DU’s mission and what the term, at its best, means. This is the spirit of being a pioneer that we embrace.
 
As such, our decision is to retain the usage of the Pioneer moniker, affirmed most recently by our Board of Trustees in 2018, while emphasizing more than ever the positive associations of the word, which describe our goals for our collective future.
 
At the same time, we must also use the contested definition of the Pioneer moniker to educate, learn and uncover why this word embodies both pain and pride. The University of Denver is committed to continuing its use of the word pioneer and to fully educating our community on why some in our community reject it and why some honor it.
 
In proceeding in this way, we aim to reclaim and define our moniker in ways that embody our current values and commitments. We can and must lead with deliberation into our next phase of evolution as a campus, as a learning community of diverse students and scholars and as an equitable and inclusive home for each of us, and those who come after us.

Commitments to Native and Indigenous communities
In this spirit of healing, educating and addressing our past—as well as our future—we are making additional University-wide commitments.
As Chancellor, I will:

•    Dedicate a permanent outside memorial space on campus to honor the complex and tragic history that inextricably links DU to the Cheyenne and Arapaho people through the atrocity of the Sand Creek Massacre.
•    In the words of the 2016 Task Force on Native American Inclusivity, we will build with Sand Creek Massacre descendants and Native/Indigenous Community members “a lasting place to come together, participate in ceremony, learn, remember, reflect and foster healing.” Tom Romero, interim vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion, will be charged with overseeing this effort by developing a budget and plan to support the creation of the memorial.
•    Tom will bring together a steering committee of Native/Indigenous community members and other experts to cooperate and consult with descendant representatives, seek their input, advice and involvement on the placement and design of the memorial, and create programming for students, faculty, staff, community and descendant representatives at this memorial site on a regular basis.

•    Provide full-tuition to undergraduate Native American students who qualify for need-based aid. Todd Rinehart, vice chancellor for enrollment, will be charged with developing the policies of the program, to the greatest extent allowed by law. This program will be effective for new students enrolling in fall of 2021.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Clark will work with the deans, faculty, Interim Vice Chancellor Tom Romero and the Faculty Senate to:

•    Create a University-wide Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies, beginning with a full proposal, including timelines, to be published by the end of spring quarter and to include the robust engagement and visioning of Native/Indigenous faculty;
•    Establish a target-of-opportunity program, which sets aside dedicated funds to strategically recruit and hire exceptional and diverse faculty members in addition to the University’s standard hiring funding pool and process; and
•    Charge a working group of faculty, staff, students and trustees with designing content and creating a permanent interior exhibit to use in coursework and first-year orientation, which will help our community more fully understand our history—particularly as it relates to the Sand Creek Massacre, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations and the land on which the University of Denver sits.

Finally, Senior Vice Chancellor for Advancement Valerie Otten will:

•    Develop appropriate fundraising plans for the scholarships, memorial site and Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies.

This is a long, detailed response to many serious and important issues and demands. We know elements of this message will be difficult for members of our community. We also know there are incredibly important commitments shared in this message. But it is our resolute view—and my deeply held view—that we must move forward and work to better understand different viewpoints, and in so doing, come closer to common ground together.
Sincerely,

Jeremy Haefner
Chancellor

On Friday, September 10, 2021, at approximately 6:45 pm, three Native Student Alliance (NSA) relatives were verbally harassed by other University of Denver (DU) students associated with Turning Point USA (TPUSA) during the Involvement Fair.

As the harassment ensued, other Students of Color and allies created a human wall between NSA’s and TPUSA’s information table. Their quick and selfless actions kept our NSA relatives safe from further verbal assault. 

This hateful incident demonstrates how Native students are not safe on DU’s campus. Since September 10, 2021, the NSA community, including our faculty advisor, has not received any direct contact with anyone from the University’s upper administration. This silence also demonstrates DU administration’s complicity with hate speech and hostile campus environments. Native students are not alone in this, and many other Black and Students of Color are not and do not feel safe on DU’s campus. 

The NSA community would like to acknowledge and thank the Black students, Students of Color, and Allies for protecting and supporting our community. We would also like to ask for witnesses to assist with filing an equal opportunity incident report for racial harassment through the Office of Equal Opportunity. 

The Native Student Alliance and our community demand the following:

1. Open up a full inquiry and investigation into the incident through the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX.
2. Identify the harassing students and hold them accountable according to DU’s honor code.
3. Revoke Turning Point USA’s charter as a DU student organization.
4. Faculty, Staff, and Students involved with the planning of the Involvement Fair receive training on how to best support and advocate for Native students.

On April 15 & 16, 2022, between the hours of 9:00 pm and 5:00 am, the NSA Tipi was vandalized after DU Facilities Management and Planning failed to complete their work order to safely secure the tipi. As a result, unknown individuals broke four tipi poles while one remains missing. The Native and Indigenous community at DU is angered and saddened by this act of disrespect. The Native American/Indigenous Leadership Council (NAILC) stands with Native and Indigenous students, staff, and faculty, who experience hostility on a university campus that claimed to enact values of equity and inclusion.

Click here to view the Native American and Indigenous Leadership Council (NAILC) Official Statement regarding the recent campus incident

Click here to view the Chancellor's messaging regarding the incident