Native American Outreach and Inclusion Task Force Recommendations Unveiled

EVANSTON, Ill. --- A report containing a series of recommendations by Northwestern University’s Native American Outreach and Inclusion Task Force was released today (Nov. 17, 2014). The report of the Task Force is available online as a PDF.

The recommendations include those made in response to an earlier report by the John Evans Study Committee and additional recommendations from the Task Force.

“While our work initially stemmed from that of the Study Committee, we also were informed significantly by additional conversations with members of the Native American community, both those on our Task Force and others,” said Patricia Telles-Irvin, vice president for student affairs and co-chair of the Task Force. “We valued that input very much.”

The Task Force was established last year to recommend strategies to strengthen Northwestern’s relationship with Native American communities through recruitment efforts, academic programs and campus support services. The Task Force work included:

• Reviewing the John Evans Study Committee Report and meeting with two of the authors.
• Discussing Native American studies programs and support services for 
Native American students with representatives of other universities.
• Collecting and evaluating benchmarking information concerning peer institutions’ practices in recruiting Native American students.
• Interviewing members of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Ho-Chunk and Menominee tribes.
• Participating in a town hall meeting sponsored by the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative at the American Indian Center.

“We would like to thank the members of the Native American Outreach and Inclusion Task Force for their dedicated service to the work of the Task Force. Our discussions were often spirited, but always cordial, and we appreciate the thoughtful contributions of the members of the Northwestern and Native American communities who participated in those discussions,” said Phil Harris, a vice-chair of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees and co-chair of the Task Force.

Members of the Task Force were:

• Mallory Black, graduate student, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications (Navajo)
• Lesley-Ann Brown, director of campus inclusion and community, Division of Student Affairs
• Forrest Bruce, undergraduate student, School of Education and Social Policy, and copresident of the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (Ojibwa)
• Onis Cheathams, associate director of admissions, Office of Undergraduate Admission
• Mark Cleveland, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences alumnus (Cherokee descent)

• Dona Cordero, assistant provost for diversity and inclusion, Office of the Provost
• Loren Ghiglione, professor of journalism and former dean, Medill School
• Phil Harris, University trustee and Weinberg College alumnus, Task Force cochair
• Sean Harte, Weinberg College alumnus (Menominee)

• Bethany Hughes, graduate student, School of Communication (Choctaw)
• Carol Lee, professor of education, School of Education and Social Policy
• Sarah Mangelsdorf, dean and professor, Weinberg College

• Ananda Marin, postdoctoral fellow in psychology, Weinberg College, and alumna, School of Education and Social Policy (African-American, Choctaw, European American descent)
• Doug Medin, professor of psychology, Weinberg College, and professor of education, School of Education and Social Policy
• Heather Menefee, undergraduate student, Weinberg College, and former copresident of the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance
• Peter Powell, founder and spiritual director of St. Augustine’s Center for American Indians, Chicago (honorary Cheyenne chief)
• Mark Sheldon, assistant dean and distinguished senior lecturer in philosophy, Weinberg College
• Pamala Silas, executive director of the Native American Journalists Association and former CEO of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (Menominee)
• Sarah Taylor, associate professor of religious studies, Weinberg College
• Patricia Telles-Irvin, vice president for student affairs, Task Force cochair
• Amy West, assistant professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago (Southern Cheyenne, European American descent)

The recommendations now will be sent to Northwestern President Morton Schapiro and Provost Daniel Linzer.

“I look forward to reviewing the report with the provost,” President Schapiro said. “I know the recommendations will receive thoughtful consideration, and I, too, thank the members of the Task Force for their good work on this report.”