Memo to the Board on Native American Studies expansion from Mary Hillaire
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Title
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Memo to the Board on Native American Studies expansion from Mary Hillaire
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Date
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1981
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extracted text
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The Evergreen State College
November 12, 1981
M E M0 R A N D U M
TO:
Board of Trustees
FROM:
Native American Studies, Mary Hillaire
SUBJECT:
NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES EXPANSION
INTRODUCTION:
The purpose of Native American Studies, is to provide an open education opportunity for Native Indian
peop~e.
It is designed to maintain culturally referenced
knowledge, abilities and skills as a means of promoting a synthesis for native
proficiency and advanced study in academics.
"---./'
Nat1ve Indian people can take the
best advantage of educational resources, (individual, social and spiritual) in
the development of an education that allows students to keep faith with their
cui tural heritage as they design certifiable academic skills that they can use
as they cope with the demands of a plural society.
The Native American Studies program has shown a phenomenal suctess rate, five
timPs higher than the national average for Native Americans who have started and
completed college, (Evergreen statistics, 1979).
Native American
Studies, has reached a pinnacle.
\
Because of its phenomenal
success, a need has been pointed out that goes beyond thE;! individual effort.
(The educaticmal needs of only 1.82; of the 70,000 Native Americans in Washington
Sti1te have been Clddrcssed.)
To accomodate this need it is proposed that the
Native Amc·rican Studies program-- a
g<1therin~1
place for designed diversity--
a Smokehouse, located on Evergreen•s campus \·Jhere the sea meets the land, be
constructed.
A place which can sustain and support the important relationships
between The Evergreen State Col lege, students and the Native American Communities.
Nr1tive American Studies Expans .ion
Uovember 12, 1981
Page 2
DEMOGRAPHICS:
Prel irrlinary surveys show that more than 120 Native Americans have earned their
Bachelor of Arts degrees from Evergreen since 1971 -- this figure represents
a 22 percent success ratio, as
co~pared
ning of the Native American Studies
gone on to graduate studies.
4 percent
to
progra~
natio~ally.
Since the begin-
15 percent of the graduates have
Sixty seven percent of the program graduates are
employed in Native American concerns or r~lated fields, (i.e. State fisheries
programs).
students.
Eighty four percent of Nat·ive
Ar.~erican
graduates were transfer
Less than five percent of the total are still seeking
It must also be pointed out
~hat
employ~ent.
these statistics only encompus Native American
and does not include the non-Native
Americ~ns,
of which there were numerous
graduates.
DESIGN:
Advantage wi II be taken of the flexabil ity of the architecture (historical), and
of the educational hardware (techn'o logical), that will ar.1plify the knowledge,
ability, and native proficency of a people from a plural society.
PURPOSE:
To
brin~
together, in a truly integrated ,educational manner, that v1hich
spontaniously draws from
ir~portant
human relationships, to the land, to others_,
to work, and to the unknown; through the discipline of music, dance, conversation
and art.
PROGRESS:
At present four of Evergreens academic
progra~s
on the plnnning of this diplomutic forum.
are interested in collaborating
Students from
~ifc
Modeling:
A
Scr1se .of Being (Northwest Native A~erJcan Studies speciality area); Environmental
De~-~~
(Enviror11;1cntal Studies speciality are<l): The Maki~~ of America (annual
proqran): and J~.!..i_r:~-~~~~_r_l~~- ~-1~~-~}~~·~ (bil :; ic prO!II-.lm).
Continuity of the project is
assured by the continued commitment of primary faculty, and a project coordinator,
\-/hen a site has been designated a pub1 ic cermony could begin the extension of
hospitality and the collaboration in the effort for designed diversity.
VL' /\mer i C i:lll s l uai cs Expans i 011
November 12, 1981
Page 3
Uill i
SUMMARY:
In recognition and respect for the duly agreed upon development of educational
resources and opportunities for Native American people; we are requesting,
that, in good faith a Resolution, from the Board of Trustees, be developed to
designate, 20 acres of land, located where the land meets the water.
This
would provide an envirorimental setting for an alternative education, designed
to
accomr.~date
the educational needs of Native American people, and promote the
development of cross culture communications.
standi-ng
betwee~
backgrounds.
Bringing about a functional under-
and among the people of different cultural and educational
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