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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2013)
12 FEBRUARY 1,2013 Smoke Signals PROFESSOR continued from front page intention waa for inclusion and eq uity to "be infused into the everyday commonplace interactions at this university." However, since Alex-Assenaoh arrived in Eugene in August from the University of Indiana in Bloom ington, those "commonplace in teractions" have not included the Grand Ronde Tribal Council, which received no warning and had no input regarding the changes. Neither the Tribes nor anyone else, it seems, knows who had a voice in the restructuring. Alex-As-sensoh did not respond to questions asking who was involved in the decision and when it was made. However, a 1996 gubernatorial Executive Order made state-Tribal government consultation the rule. In 2001, Senate Bill 770 made it law. Strictly speaking, said Karen Quigley, executive director of the Oregon Legislative Commission on Indian Services, neither the 1996 Executive Order nor the 2001 state law codifying the requirements applies to individual Oregon uni versities. "The Chancellor's Office, not separate institutions, was part of the government-to-government process," Quigley said. Still, the University of Oregon is not backing away from obligations in the Executive Order or state law, saying instead that Tribes were not consulted because the restructur ing "largely involved a personnel decision rather than the elimina tion of Native American programs or initiatives on campus." The restructuring ended posi tions held by three assistant vice presidents, a director, an executive assistant and a support position, though there was no clarification on which were strictly personnel decisions and which were part of a restructuring that should have been discussed beforehand with Tribes. Since the restructuring was an nounced, Ball has received kudos from all over. "The guy is amazing," said Dr. CHiXapkaid (Michael) Pavel (Skokomish), professor of Native American Studies and Education. "He is everywhere doing everything for everyone, and he has been doing Attention All 6th-12th Grado Students It's time to start thinking about Spring Break! The Youth Educa tion Department will be hosting the annual Spring Break trip at Camp Westwind in Lincoln City on Monday, March 25, through Wednesday, March 27, for middle and high school students. This is one of our most anticipated activities every year and space is limited. Permission slips will be available on Friday, Feb. 15. Students must turn in a permission slip signed by a parentguardian to reserve a space. Spaces are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact the Youth Education Department at 503-879-2101 for more information. Attention All Enrolled 6th-12th Grade Students Please remember that we are offering our Incentive Program to middle and high school students who are enrolled members of CTGR for a chance to earn rewards! For a student to be eligible, heshe must turn in a copy of hisher report card as well as attendance records. The deadline to turn in these documents is Friday, Feb. 1. Due to the Willamina School Dis trict offering a different grading system to sixth-grade students, a separate program has been established for these students. Upcoming Rewards: 6th Grade Students-Friday, Feb. 8: Dinner and a Movie Trip 7th-12th Grade Students-Monday, Feb. 11: Snow Trip Details of these programs may be obtained by contacting the Youth Education Department at 503-879-2101. D it for many years." Tribal member Kevin Simmons, a 2012 master's in Special Educa tion graduate from the University of Oregon and a former Hatfield Fellow, remembers Ball travel ing to Bend to lend support to a presentation of his Oregon Tribal Disability Project. Simmons remembers Ball teach ing his son, Makai, to play stick games. Most diffusely, but maybe most importantly, he remembers the support Ball provided when times were tough. "He's paramount around here," said Simmons. "He's kind of the foundation for Native students." Ball's wife, Dr. Alison Ball, who is president of the Oregon Indian Education Association and proj ect director for the Sapsik'wala program, the university's well-regarded Native American teaching program, also noted examples of her husband's concern for what Native Americans consider impor tant. "A student was homeless," she said, "and Tom lent her $450 to get an apartment. Another time, a student had a baby and couldn't make class. He went over and baby sat for her." "Dr. Tom Ball comes here as family," said Pavel. "There is no instance where we see ourselves as individuals. We see ourselves as a family." The university's Native Ameri can Student Union sent an e-mail to its members in the wake of the restructuring. "If you haven't heard yet, Dr. Tom Ball's contract is not being re newed," the e-mail said. "You may have seen (Ball) opening up our ISD event, attending our weekly meetings or jamming with us at stick game practices. He's always there with a warm pizza, to offer encouragement and sound advice. Maybe he's made a profound differ ence in your life as a student here at the University of Oregon. Or maybe you've been living under a rock in a far distant land from the Native community here in Eugene for the past 10 years. Either way, NASU is imploring you to help us combat some serious injustice that has transpired. "Why are students not being told about these decisions that directly affect us, our programs, our events, our experiences as students here at the University of Oregon? Why is our voice not being taken into ac count? We want a say in our Native representation, do we not?" The e-mail led to many letters and a protest march on the Presi dent's Office. For good reason, the Ball family is not overly concerned about Tom's personal future. "We do have job offers," said Ali son, getting to what she believes is the heart of the matter. "It's about eliminating three high-profile peo ple of color without accountability," she said. Beyond the blackout on informa tion, Ball and a close circle of col leagues also are outraged at how he was treated after the changes were announced. "She (Alex-Assensoh) did offer me another job (that she did not offer either of the other assistant vice presidents)," said Ball. "It was a demotion. I would no longer be an assistant vice president, but a director of outreach or something," with apparent responsibility for all three assistant vice president posi tions, but with no job description. 'That to me was trying to cause a split between me and my col leagues and our communities," Tom said. "Why not offer it to oth ers? I'd be representing the Latino community, but I don't even speak Spanish." "Dr. Tom Ball is an Elder, a re vered human being by everyone here at the University of Oregon," said Pavel, "and how we treat a man like that reflects how we respect and honor the Native people." "It's not just me," Tom said. "It's my colleagues too. It's dishearten ing and shameful, and at the Uni versity of Oregon, it's a pattern." Ball said that this episode could end with the loss of four Native American administrators in the last four years. "And they're go ing to make this a better place for Indians?" "Inklings" appeared in recent years that changes were coming. Tribal Council member Cheryle See PROFESSOR continued on page 13 i! ir ij in re ii wwii ii ii ii up
