sipi’s navajo president get’s pushed out the back door by the bie

BIE destroying Native Schools ? First Haskell’s President and now Sipi’s.
Alarm bells need to be sounded.
Getting ready for a site visit by The Higher Learning Commission?
What is the best way to prove to them that you cannot operate a
post-secondary institution? Or two or Thirty Seven? Ask BIE
officials.
This week BIE’s personnel panel is interviewing applicants for the
President of Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in
Albuquerque, NM. Only they aren’t interviewing in Albuquerque, or
even in Indian Country. They are interviewing in Interior South in
Washington DC.
The interview panel likely consists of personnel management
specialists and BIE bureaucrats. Why would this raise any concerns
for HLC?
Well, the Higher Learning Commission provides review and
professional oversight for institutions. Most colleges (and SIPI
is a community college) invites all constituents of the college to
the interview for a position. Faculty and administrators would be
required to visit the campus for 2 or 3 days and would meet with
all concerned in various interview formats. All faculty, for
example, and students or student government, staff….oh yes, and
they might even invite the Board of Regents. The candidate would
provide a public “job talk” and would answer questions throughout
these few days.
(Let’s don’t even talk about the fact that the interview for the
Director of the Bureau of Indian Education was scheduled for 30
minutes per candidate.) I wonder if the candidates for President
of SIPI will get ten or fifteen.
In most collegiate institutions, the office of personnel would
clear the candidates, not hire. Faculty, staff, students,
community members, partners, board members—these constituencies
would rank the final two or three that actually got to come to
campus to meet people. It is a long process because it involves
asking lots of questions and getting multiple perspectives.
In this new era of “dialogue” with Indian Country for Haskell and
SIPI, how does a rush job with no input from the campus fit in?
Why would BIE management do this weeks before the site visit by the
accrediting association that you need to certify the campus
academic programs?(Suggested answer: Need to get someone hired
who works with the current BIE administration before the new
Director shows up on 12th street). Do you think that the site
visit team will not hear about this or will not care? These teams
understand higher education (I think that’s the missing piece) and
these teams will figure out that this sort of management is highly
detrimental to the operation of this institution.
I am not convinced that the BIE management hasn’t figured that out
too, and that perhaps closing the post-secondary schools they run
might actually be the driving force.
You can not find another college in this country where this type of
management is encouraged or supported. The final question really
is,“Who cares?”
Why aren’t the tribes in this region asking questions? Joe Garcia
is the President of NCAI and he lives in NM. Isn’t education an
agenda item for that organization? The Navajo Tribe is the largest
tribe in this country and SIPI sits in their backyard. The acting
President is Navajo and yet BIE does not support her efforts or
candidacy (evident by the rush, hush job they are doing with these
interviews). The BIE is in the business of helping Indian people
and that includes the students at SIPI. If the Higher Learning
Commission puts stipulations on this accreditation because of the
sloppy way that BIE manages the college, maybe SIPI (and Haskell)
should be turned over to Department of Education.
Oh yes, I read where Haskell’s president was sent to SIPI; I wonder
what the accrediting team who visits Haskell will say when they get
there and find the President missing. Looks like both schools are
in jeopardy at the direct order of one highly qualified social
worker, Stephanie Birdwell .

Haskell & Former Sipi President Ordered To Write Letter to Congress or BE FIRED !

Haskell's current and Sipi's former Presidents told to write congress a letter or be fired !!!

An Act to Allow Haskell Indian Nations University and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Each to Conduct a Demonstration Project to Test the Feasibility and Desirability of New Personnel Management Policies and Procedures, and for Other Purposes. by United States.

Dr.Warner Haskell Indian University President and Dr.Hamley ( Sipi ) were given specific directives (do it or get fired ) from Stephanie Birdwell and Kevin Skenandore to write a letter to congress canceling the demonstration projects on their campuses. The presidents and the Secretary of Interior were the only individuals who could make this decision annd Skenandore and Birdwell could not convince the Secretary to do it, but they know that a direct order has to be followed. Haskell and Sipi ( both Native American colleges ) were operating under legislation that allowed for an alternative personnel sytem so that they could operate programs more efficiently. THIS WAS A FEDERAL LAW.

Memo from Washington D.C. to Haskell.

I don’t know who thought this up but Mr.Larry Echohawk of The BIE in Washington D.C. please look into it. Why would you allow The Haskell President to be detailed ANYWHERE ? Dr.Warner has worked hard to make Haskell a UNIVERSITY and has held employees to some actual standards and made it SUCH a better place for our students doing what the below memo proposes makes no sense at all !!!

United States Dept of The Interior Bureau of Indian Education Washington D.C. Sept 15, 2009 To: Haskell Indian Nation University All Faculty Personnel Contract Personnel Students

From : Stephanie Birdwell Deputy Director

Subject : Administrative Detail

This memorandum serves to inform you of administrative action regarding The Haskell Nations University President. Dr. Linda Sue Warner. Effective Sept 21, 2009, Dr.Warner will begin a 120 day assignment to the campus of The Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, N.M. This detail assignment is necessary to assist the SIPI administration with it’s upcoming accreditation evaluation process, as well as with other strategic planning for the institute. Dr.Warner is scheduled to return to Haskell following the end of her detail assignment on January 21, 2010. During the initial 30 days of Dr.Warner’s absence, Mr.Chris Redman will serve as Acting President, and is scheduled to arrive on campus Tuesday, Sept 29,2009. Following Mr.Redman’s 30 day period at Haskell, I will either assign another Indian Affairs Manager, or extend Mr.Redman’s appointment as necessary. CC : Haskell Indian National Board of Regents Haskell Indian Nations Faculty Senate

Haskell starts WINHEC accreditation process.

And thanks to Dr.Linda Warner Haskell is now well on it's way to getting it's WINHEC accreditation.

At the exit interview held on Friday, September 18, the team indicated a positive visit and review of our campus. They were very encouraged at all of the effort and work by our faculty and staff. The team was also very impressed with our students.

Ms. Horton remarked that in several meetings individuals indicated that they would provide additional information and are encouraged to do so by sending items directly to Ms. Horton.(see bottom of this message for her email)

A full report will be sent to the University in the coming months. We will then distribute and have to time to offer comments. The report and recommendations will be presented at the 2010 WINHEC meeting in Norway.

Who is Birdwell's boss? Why is she being allowed to do such reckless things? Who's asleep at the wheel? Don't kids matter?