LAWRENCE, Kan. — The federal agency which oversees Haskell Indian Nations University plans to send a team to the Lawrence campus following the faculty's no-confidence vote in its president.
The Bureau of Indian Education said in a message to university employees that an "impartial administrative review team" would arrive Monday, the Lawrence Journal-World reported.
"Our goal is to use this impartial review to help make sure HINU continues to function as a premiere standard for post-secondary education in Indian Country while supporting the rights of students and staff," the message said.
The Faculty Senate unanimously declared earlier this month that it had no confidence in Haskell President Ronald Graham, alleging he has shown disdain for the free speech rights of students and faculty and a disregard for academic freedom.
Graham, who began his presidency in May 2020, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Journal-World.
BIE director Tony Dearman rescinded this month a directive that forbid employees from publicly discussing issues they had with the school without first getting permission.
The editor of Haskell's student newspaper, Jared Nelly, sued after Graham sent a directive to him in October detailing what he could report and write about in the paper. Graham rescinded that order in January.
