American Indian Studies faculty, from left to right: Jill Doerfler, Edward Minnema, Linda LeGarde Grover, Erik Redix, Tadd Johnson and Joseph Bauerkemper. Photo from UMD

All 11 tribes in Minnesota have endorsed the creation of the Tribal Sovereignty Institute at the University of Minnesota in Duluth.

The Minnesota Indian Affairs Council passed a resolution last month to support the new endeavour. Through the institute, tribes will play a key role in educating students, state employees and the general public about their unique status as governments.

“We believe this partnership with Indian tribes is a win-win for the University and the Native nations of Minnesota,” Tadd Johnson, the director of graduate studies within the American Indian Studies at UMD, said in a press release. “We intend to devote a great deal of time and effort into making the Institute a fully-staffed, fully-functioning partnership with Indian tribes.”

The institute will be based at the Indian Studies department at UMD but it will work with all the campuses with the university system. The department will be responsible for carrying out the administrative functions.

With the tribes' blessings, the department will start formulating bylaws for the institute. The governing board will represent each of the 11 tribes in the state.