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FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2002

Secretary of Interior Gale Norton on Thursday promised to visit a North Dakota tribal college whose funds are being eliminated in her department's fiscal year 2003 budget.

The United Tribes Technical College, a vocational school that serves several tribes, is located near Bismarck, where Norton will attend a consultation session on trust reform next Tuesday.

Knowing the schedule, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) persuaded Norton to take a quick detour and see how a $3 million funding will affect the school.

"I really think the tribal colleges are a terrific investment," Dorgan said at a Senate hearing.

Dorgan also questioned the Bush administration's priorities as he noted a "full scale emergency" in Indian education. He urged Norton to take money away from a $100 million land conservation program in order to restore funds to the school and to Crownpoint Institute of Technology in New Mexico, which is seeing a $1.2 million slash.

"I don't really care how it's funded," he said of the school in his state. "I really care that it's funded."

Dorgan said he would call to check up on Norton while she is in North Dakota.

Today on Indianz.Com:
Norton pressed on Indian funds (6/14)

Relevant Links:
United Tribes Technical College - http://www.unitedtribestech.com
Crownpoint Institute of Technology - http://www.cit.cc.nm.us

Related Stories:
Doing more with less at the BIA (3/26)
BIA cuts to schools questioned (3/15)