The University of Wyoming is forming a “working group” to explore options for providing more financial support to students enrolled in the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, UW President Edward Seidel said last month.
The decision was made during the September meeting of the UW Board of Trustees, which featured a conversation with the co-chairs of the Wyoming Legislature’s Tribal Relations Committee as well as representatives from the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, Seidel said.
“It was a very good, very honest discussion, and I really appreciated that,” he told the Tribal Relations Committee last month. “It became clear to me at that meeting … that the community is looking to the university to really step up and provide more leadership.”
Wyoming Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, who is one of the Tribal Relations Committee co-chairs, said she left the meeting with the UW Board of Trustees “feeling heard.”
“We really appreciate it,” she said. “I’m pleased with … UW taking an interest in leading the charge.”
Initial numbers
Since that September meeting, Seidel said UW officials have worked with the campus Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center to “very specifically” identify 20 Eastern Shoshone and 22 Northern Arapaho students who are currently enrolled at the school – including 29 undergraduates.
Based on those “smaller numbers,” Seidel said it would be possible to develop a program that offers “personalized” academic support for Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho students.
It would cost about $320,000 per year to cover tuition and fees for the 40-50 Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho students currently enrolled at UW, Seidel said, estimating that those expenses could be covered by an $8 million endowment fund managed with a 4 percent return on investment.
Another idea is to work with Central Wyoming College to develop a program that offers support to Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho students before they transfer to UW, Seidel said.
“We (could) have both co-admission and co-advising … from the very beginning – not at the end of their community college career,” he explained. “We think this will improve transfer rates (and) student success. “
If 80 students are involved in that type of program once it’s fully established, Seidel estimated that a $12.5 million endowment would be required to cover the associated costs for tuition and fees.
‘Fantastic idea’
Cory Daly, CWC’s Vice President of Student Affairs, said her school is “very excited” about the potential program Seidel described, and Wyoming Rep. Ken Chestek, D-Laramie, called it a “fantastic idea.”
“How (do) we raise that money?” Chestek asked. “We’ve talked about a matching program where donations (could) be matched by the state. … Do you think a matching program would help?”
Wyoming Sen. Affie Ellis, R-Cheyenne, said it was too early to approach the Legislature with any funding requests, however.
“We’ve heard, now, some frameworks that are out there,” she said. “(There’s) a little bit more homework to be done before we take it to the Legislature.”
Chestek agreed, adding that the UW working group being formed to examine the issue should include representation from both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes.
“This is a fairly complex thing to set up,” Chestek said. “Decisions have to be made … in consultation with current stakeholders.”
Seidel assured him that UW “will (be) consulting with the Tribes” and that the working group will be “representative.”
For more information call UW at (307) 766-1121.