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Haskell Indian Nations University is a four year degree granting university in Lawrence, Kansas which offers free tuition to members of registered Native American tribes in the United States. Typical enrollment is approximately 1000 representing all 50 states and 150 tribes.
History
Haskell was formed as the United States Indian Industrial Training School in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1884. Originally, Haskell was a boarding school for 15 American Indian students, and provided agricultural education for grades one through five. The emphasis was on assimilation — teaching the students to become members of the dominant society. The schools name was changed to Haskell Institute in 1887 to honor Dudley Haskell, the U.S. Representative from Kansas who was responsible for the school being located in Lawrence. A semi-military system was initiated where students wore uniforms and marched to their classes and exercised regularly. By 1894, there were 606 students enrolled, representing 36 states. Haskell expanded its academic training beyond the eighth grade to include "normal school".
Haskell began offering college level classes in 1927. Haskell Institute graduated its last high school level class in 1965. In 1970, the college was accredited as Haskell Indian Junior College and offered only college-level classes.
In 1993, with the addition of a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary teacher education, the Board of Regents changed the name to Haskell Indian Nations University.
Haskell offers majors in American Indian Studies,Tribal Archives and Tribal Museum Management, environmental science, business administration, and elementary teacher education.
Athletics
Haskell's Fighting Indians participate in intercollegiate athletics in the NAIA, the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Association, and the Central States Football League. They field teams in basketball, football, cross country, golf, track, softball and volleyball. In 1926, Haskell dedicated the first lighted football stadium in the central U.S.
Cultural centers
Today, Haskell is the home of the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame which recognizes many of the Native American athletes who attended Haskell and later became famous — Jim Thorpe, George and John Levi, and Billy Mills.
The Haskell Cultural Centers is a museum and archives collecting indigenous American materal and provides a training venue for Haskell's archives and museum programs.
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