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Kansas lawmakers, including U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall and Representatives Tracey Mann and Derek Schmidt, introduced legislation to federally charter Haskell Indian Nations University and transfer its governance from the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to a newly established Haskell Board of Regents. The bill would preserve federal funding while giving the university greater autonomy.

The legislation follows years of concerns about BIE’s mismanagement of Haskell, including outdated infrastructure, lack of ADA compliance, insufficient technology, high dropout rates, and unresolved sexual harassment and misconduct allegations. Despite repeated congressional inquiries and public concern, the Department of the Interior and BIE were slow to act and largely unresponsive.

After gathering input from Tribal leaders, local stakeholders, and education experts, the lawmakers finalized the bill to improve conditions at Haskell and better serve students and staff. The move aims to ensure more transparent and accountable governance for the nation’s only four-year tribal university overseen by the Department of the Interior.