Leaders of the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute are seeking the support of the Navajo Nation to counteract budget cuts at the institution.

Despite increasing enrollment, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has cut funding for SIPI. Freddie Howard, a member of the SIPI Board of Regents, said the BIA withheld 25 percent of the budget this past year.

Like the United Tribes Technical College in North Dakota and Crownpoint Institute of Technology in New Mexico, SIPI is a tribal college but doesn't fall under the Tribal Colleges Act. This has prompted the Bush administration to reduce or outright eliminate funding for UTTC, SIPI and CIT for the past four years.

Get the Story:
SIPI faces big cut in support (The Gallup Independent 11/28)

Relevant Links:
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute - http://www.sipi.bia.edu

Related Stories:
SIPI spent $100K on golf facilities despite deficit (04/04)
Senators protest lack of funding for tribal college (4/1)
Tribal college in New Mexico makes 29 layoffs (3/30)
Embattled SIPI president announces resignation (02/24)
Some faculty, students question SIPI president (09/17)
Education Secretary Paige visiting tribal college (04/08)
SIPI distance learning affected by Internet shutdown (03/23)