Center for American Indians at Bacone College

Purpose

This Center will provide for the:

• Preservation of the American Indian Collections at Bacone College.
• Coordination of American Indian degrees and cultural programs.
• Research related to the future of American Indian education and collections in higher education.

Rationale

This Center was established following an appropriate review of the recommendations of Dr. Pete Coser, Special Assistant to the President. The Center is expected to attract interest, energy, funding, faculty, staff and students around our amazing NA Collections and expanding NA Programs. These expectations will then provide for a new creative energy for this primary and historic mission of higher education with Native People. The Center will also validate the Native Voice as the Privileged Voice on Bacone's Campus. The Center will not be a physical location during its pilot phase, but rather it will be comprised of several existing components that reflect both the American Indian Collections and Programs of the College.

Staffing

Acting Director - Fall 2009
Projected Staffing based on funding:
Director (Faculty Rank)
Associate Director (Faculty Rank)
Cultural Coordinator (Faculty Rank)
Administrative Assistant(s)
Faculty - Recruitment efforts will focus on bringing the percentage of F/T Faculty and F/T Administrators with Faculty Rank in line with the percentage of AI Students.

Institutional Support

Bacone College has at its heart this primary and historic mission of higher education with American Indians. The following offices will provide the Center and its programs with appropriate administrative support for:

• Admissions and Financial Aid
• Advising
• Student Life and Housing
• Student Support Services
• Operations
• Business Office
• Development

Academic Division

AI Studies
Four-Year Degree - Fall 2009
Art Degree with AI Concentration
Four Year Degree - Fall 2010
AI Museum Sciences
Four-Year Degree - Fall 2011

Indian University Journal

Published each term; Fall, Spring, & Summer.
Edited by the Director of the Center and published by Indian University Press in both E-Format and at Cafe' Press.

Cultural Collections

Ataloa Lodge Museum
Bacone College American Indian Art Collection
Bacone College Library - American Indian Room Collection

Cultural Programs

American Indian Learning Work Community
American Indian Students of Promise
American Indian Cultural Club

Cultural Relations

KIVA (Gathering place for American Indians)
NASA (Native American Students Association)

Alumni Relations

Specific programs for American Indian Alumni
Specific outreach to American Indian Alumni
Special events for American Indian Alumni to interact with American Indian Students.

Timeline

The Center will be established in the Fall 2009 semester as a pilot program located in the Office of the President. The center will achieve full recognition and staffing upon securing appropriate levels of funding. Annual reviews will provide for changing needs of the Center. The potential for a new building will be evaluated in these reviews subject to a feasibility study related to funding.