 "Photo: Allyson Riggs")
On land that was once owned by the Wiyot Tribe, Native American student enrollment is on the decline at HSU. The campus was built almost 100 years ago on what was once tribal lands, and is located within 30 minutes of three of the biggest native tribes in California today - the Yurok, Hoopa and Karuk tribes.
Native Americans account for 1.8 percent of the student body, 141 students, according to the HSU demographic census. That is a 36 percent drop in Native American student enrollment compared to 215 students, 3 percent, 10 years ago.
This makes Native Americans the smallest and fastest declining ethnic group on campus. Yet Humboldt county has one of the largest Native American populations in the nation, which accounts for more than 6 percent of the total population.
Native American enrollment at HSU has been severely affected by budget cuts to the Native American support programs such as the Indian Natural Resources, Science and Engineering Program (INRSEP) and the Indian Teacher and Educational Personnel Program (ITEPP.) Native American enrollment is at its lowest since HSU implemented the Educational Personnel Program 40 years ago.
Many Native American students would not attend HSU without programs such as INRSEP, said Native American studies major Raja Storr. She decided to attend HSU because and said without it she would have not chosen HSU.
At INRSEP the relationship between the counselors and students is strong, acting like a family.
INRSEP Director Jacquelyn Bolman said the program offers a safe haven for Native American Indians, helping build a family-like environment. Native American culture emphasizes family values, and many students feel uncomfortable inside an educational environment that follows Western traditions, said Bolman.
Victoria Carlson, a Native American student majoring in environmental resources engineering, said INRSEP offers many benefits. “Definitely culture and family is really important. Good feelings and food makes [the learning environment] comfortable, positive,” she said.
A Native American student with a major in wildlife management, Kristen Gonzales said the program gives you space to be comfortable, more like home. These students know each other very well, they often use the INRSEP facilities located on 14th Street to do their homework, play games, tutoring, use the computer lab or cook their favorite meals.
After college, students such as Carlson and Gonzales plan to go back to their communities to make an impact with their degrees and “Take knowledge back,” said Carlson.
Bolman indicated that having a strong presence of native students on campus helps students approach their studies from a different perspective. Bolman said that Native Americans seek to use their knowledge to find a balance with the environment. This can give students a greater perspective regarding sustainability.
Students in the Native American Studies/Ensuring Native Inherent Traditions (ENIT) club make their presence in the community as strong as possible. The club plans conscious programs such as the Big Time celebration, an opportunity for all students to see Native American culture in an educational environment. It entails rituals and demonstrations, such as dance groups and tribal presentations.
Students who donate time for extra-curricular activities organize the events. But Storr pointed out that these students pay more for less due to fee hikes and furloughs. This affects students’ non-academic activities as they are forced to use their time for more economically-rewarding activities.
Many Native American students rely on scholarships to be able to afford college education, or work while taking classes.
This maybe one of the reasons why the number of Native Americans decreased to its lowest level in years. This contrasts with the information given out by the administration.
Earlier this year, HSU President Rollin Richmond hinted that diversity was growing on campus due to his observations that many minority students volunteered during HSU’s Day of Caring. However this is only true for the Latino population at HSU.
There has been a significant increase in the Latino student population with numbers close to reach 25 percent by fall 2010. In real life, however, HSU has much work to do to be completed to increase the number of American Indians on campus.
“It is critical American Indians are invited to opportunities at HSU,” said Bolman. She pointed out that Indian people are less than 1 percent of the Nation’s population but are entrusted 10 percent of the land. On those lands there are over 20 percent of the Nation’s natural resources and in particular 27 percent of the Nation’s fresh water.
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