Smoke signals., November 01, 1985, Image 3

ENROLLMENT
Dear Friends and Fellow Tribal Members:
The month of September has been very busy, with 79 applicants approved
for Tribal membership. Congradulations to all our new members! Our
membership roll now numbers 1682. That's 1020 new members since our
Tribe has been reinstated. On September 20, I started taking a night
class at Chemeketa Community College in Salem to learn how to operate
a computer that we will be using in this office in the near furture.
I would like to explain the enrollment procedure to help calrify how
applicants are determined for tribal membership or enrollment rejection.
Our Tribes Constitution states that an applicant must be a descendent
of an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon. Also, the applicant must meet the requirement of
having a minimum of one-sixteenth (116) total Indian blood quantum to
be eligible for tribal enrollment. Using this blood quantum require
ment as a guide, I prepare the applications for processing. I check to
see that the applications are completed and signed, I then check the
family history, using the required birth records, to determine that the
applicant is a descendent of an enrolled member of the Grand Ronde Tribes.
The blood quantum of an applicant is determined by the blood quantum
listed on the roll of any enrolled ancestors. Example: Your mother is
12 degree Indian blood and your father is non-Indian, this would make
your total Indian blood degree 14, one-half of your mother's degree.
I use a chart to double check all blood quantums. After the blood quantum
is determined, the application checked, and the ancestor confirmed as
being an enrolled member, the applicants file is submitted to the Enroll
ment Committee.
The Enrollment Committee examines each file and determines if the app
licant is eligible for enrollment. They then recommend to the Tribal
Council that an applicant either be enrolled or rejected. I then submit
a report to the Tribal Council on the Enrollment Committee's recommend
ations. The Council in turn adopts a resolution to have the new members
names placed on the roll. I then let the applicants know by mail of
their enrollment status.
If you receive an enrollment number, this does not mean you will auto
matically receive a newsletter or an Indian Health Services application.
These must be requested, as my files are confidential. I will not
submit an address unless asked to do so.
I still have many incomplete applications on file. If you are wondering
why you or a relative hasn't received an enrollment number, please call
or write to me in care of this office. The mailing address is P.O. Box
38, Grand Ronde, Ore. 97347. The phone number is (503) 879-5215. My
hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. We are closed for
lunch break from 12 noon to 1p.m. I will be happy to help in any way
that I can.
Sincerely,
Margo George
Enrollment Clerk