Dartmouth removes director of Native program after controversy

Friday, October 2, 2015  

Susan Taffe Reed is no longer serving as director of the Native American Program at Dartmouth College.

Taffe Reed drew controversy after she was hired in September. She refused to answer questions about her alleged tribal heritage although Dartmouth claimed she was part Native.

"Susan Taffe Reed will no longer serve as the director of the Native American Program,” the college said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the distraction around her appointment prevents her from effectively serving in this role."

Taffe Reed serves as president of the Eastern Delaware Nations, a group that lacks state or federal recognition and admits anyone who wants to join. The non-profit was created by her grandfather, who appears to be the first person in her family to have claimed Indian ancestry.

Documents posted by FakeIndians, though, show that the claim cannot be substantiated. Although the death certificate of Taffe Reed's grandfather describes him as "White/American Indian" Keely Squirrel Denning, who conducted the research, discovered that both his parents were "White" and all four of their parents were immigrants from Ireland.

Taffe Reed, however, told The Wall Street Journal that was was part Native in a story published in the paper on Thursday. But she again declined to detail her alleged tribal ancestry.

None of the three federally recognized tribes that descend from the historic Delaware/Lenape Nation -- the Delaware Nation, the Delaware Tribe and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community -- consider Taffe Reed's group to be legitimate.

Taffe Reed will remain an employee at Dartmouth but the college's statement did not say where she would be working. The original announcement of her hire has been removed from the website. A cached version remains accessible via Google.

Get the Story:
Reassigned: Susan Taffe Reed No Longer Dartmouth’s Native Program Director (Indian Country Today 10/1)
Dartmouth: Susan Taffe Reed Out As Native American Program Director (New Hampshire Public Radio 10/1)
Controversial Hire Won’t Serve as Dartmouth’s Native American Program Director (The Valley News 10/2)
Reversal at Dartmouth (Inside Higher Ed 10/2)
The Real Problem With Susan Taffe Reed and Fake Indian Tribes (The Daily Beast 10/2)

Native alumni at Dartmouth seek removal of Native program hire (10/1)
Andre Cramblit: Dartmouth makes wrong call for Native students (9/29)
Steve Russell: Dartmouth elevates a Pretendian to key position (9/28)
Brandon Ecoffey: Dartmouth opens arms to Native box checkers (9/23)
Christie Michelle Poitra: Stop hating those non-recognized tribes (9/23)
Brandon Ecoffey: Dartmouth opens arms to Native box checkers (9/23)
Dartmouth claims key Native hire comes from tribal background (9/21)
Head of Native program at Dartmouth won't discuss heritage (9/17)