Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Please join us in honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
WSU is hosting a series of events and speaker presentations
Oct. 10–19 on the
Pullman and Vancouver campuses, most of which will be offered virtually.
To celebrate, please see the schedule of events listed on
Native American Programs website.
In the fall of 2018, WSU’s Graduate and Professional Student
Association passed a resolution that “the second Monday in October will
be remembered and celebrated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, instead of
Columbus Day” and committed to “actively encourage the student population
to remember the colonial legacy of the United States federal government’s
policies and practices on Indigenous communities and seek to understand
the strength and hope of Indigenous communities today.”
On Sept. 28, 2018, President Kirk Schulz signed a proclamation to
commemorate this day to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, saying, “WSU
values the many contributions made to our society through Indigenous
People’s knowledge, labor, technology, science, philosophy, arts, and
the deep cultural contribution that has shaped the character of WSU.”
The proclamation also recognizes that all WSU campuses are built upon
the homelands of Indigenous Peoples.
The WSU system will also recognize the 25th anniversary of its
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MOU signatory tribes and nations
on the Pullman campus Oct. 13–14. The MOU states that, together with
the signatory tribes and nations, WSU wishes “to create a structure
to strengthen the relationships between them, and to improve the
quality of educational services and opportunities provided” and to
“increase access to, and Native American achievements at, WSU.” The
complete MOU (PDF) can be read online. This gathering will mark the first
time all Native American Advisory Board members meet together
in‑person to reflect on the past 25 years of relationships built
and progress made as well as envision what is to come for the next
25 years.
We express our gratitude for our strong partnerships with the
tribes and nations from this region. We also want to recognize the
extraordinary contributions of Native American Programs, Native
American Student Center, Asian American and Pacific Islander
Student Center, Native American Health Sciences, IREACH Partners
for Native American Heath, Center for Arts and Humanities, Office
of Social Justice Education and Outreach, and Academic Engagement
and Student Achievement in supporting Indigenous students and
communities. We also acknowledge our Indigenous student
organizations for their outstanding leadership — ASWSU, Ku‑Ah‑Mah,
Native American Women’s Association, Alpha Pi Omega Sorority,
Hui Hau’oli O’ Hawai’i (Hawaii Club), Pacific Islanders Club,
and Mitamitaga O Samoa.
Kirk H. Schulz
President, WSU System
Elizabeth S. Chilton
Provost and Executive Vice President
Zoe Higheagle Strong
Vice Provost for Native American Relations and Programs &
Tribal Liaison to the President
