The (In)Visibility Paradox: a Case Study of American Indian
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The (In)Visibility Paradox: A Case Study of American Indian Iconography and Student Resistance in Higher Education by Jessica A. Solyom A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved August 2014 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Bryan Brayboy, Chair Mary Romero Charles Lee Lisa Flores ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY December 2014 ABSTRACT This case study explores American Indian student activist efforts to protect and promote American Indian education rights that took place during 2007-2008 at a predominantly white institution (PWI) which utilizes an American Indian tribal name as its institutional athletic nickname. Focusing on the experiences of five American Indian student activists, with supplementary testimony from three former university administrators, I explore the contextual factors that led to activism and what they wanted from the institution, how their activism influenced their academic achievement and long- term goals, how the institution and surrounding media (re)framed and (re)interpreted their resistance efforts, and, ultimately, what the university’s response to student protest conveys about its commitment to American Indian students and their communities. Data was gathered over a seven-year period (2007-2014) and includes in-depth interviews, participant observation, and archival research. Using Tribal Critical Race Theory and Agenda Setting Theory, this study offers a theoretically informed empirical analysis of educational persistence for American Indian students in an under-analyzed geographic region of the U.S. and extends discussions of race, racism, and the mis/representation and mis/treatment of American Indians in contemporary society. Findings suggest the university’s response significantly impacted the retention and enrollment of its American Indian students. Although a majority of the student activists reported feeling isolated or pushed out by the institution, they did not let this deter them from engaging in other social justice oriented efforts and remained dedicated to the pursuit of social justice and/or the protection of American Indian education rights i long after they left the in institution. Students exercised agency and demonstrated personal resilience when, upon realizing the university environment was not malleable, responsive, or conducive to their concerns, they left to advocate for justice struggles elsewhere. Unfortunately for some, the university’s strong resistance to their efforts caused some to exit the institution before they had completed their degree. ii DEDICATION For Teddy and Riana: You inspired me to the very end. Sólo le pido a Dios Sólo le pido a Dios que el dolor no me sea indiferente, Que la resaca muerte no me encuentre vacía y sola sin haber hecho lo suficiente. Sólo le pido a Dios que lo injusto no me sea indiferente, Que no me abofetee la otra mejilla después de que una garra me arañó esta suerte. Sólo le pido a Dios que la guerra no me sea indiferente, Es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte toda la pobre inocencia de la gente. Es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte toda la pobre inocencia de la gente. Sólo le pido a Dios que la engaña no me sea indiferente, Si un traidor puede mas que unos cuantos que esos cuantos no lo olviden fácilmente. Sólo le pido a Dios que el futuro no me sea indiferente, Desauciado está el que tiene que marchar a vivir una cultura diferente. Sólo le pido a Dios que la Guerra no me sea indiferente, Es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte toda la pobre inocencia de la gente. Es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte toda la pobre inocencia de la gente. - León Gieco (1978) iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. x LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ x INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ xii The Role of Campus Climate on Educational Persistence.................................... xv Comparing Enrollment and Graduation Rates. ....................................... xvii Mascots. .................................................................................................... xx About this Study. ................................................................................................. xxi What Were the Students Protesting and Why Does it Matter? ............... xxii Organization and What I Hope You Take Away from this Project. ...... xxiv PART I ................................................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 1 SETTING THE STAGE ................................................................................................. 2 Mountain State University. ..................................................................................... 4 History of the Tribal Nickname. ............................................................... 10 What Specific Factors Led to the Student Protests Featured in this Study? ......... 21 Spring 2007. .............................................................................................. 25 Fall 2007. .................................................................................................. 32 Spring 2008. .............................................................................................. 35 Fall 2008. .................................................................................................. 37 Public Protests. ...................................................................................................... 38 iv CHAPTER Page Who Were the Student Activists? ............................................................. 39 About the Protests. .................................................................................... 40 Concluding Thoughts ............................................................................................ 50 2 AMERICAN INDIAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND THE ASSERTION OF EDUCATION RIGHTS .................................................................................................... 53 Campus Climate and University Leadership ........................................................ 55 Creating a Coalition for Native Educational Rights ............................................. 61 Theoretical Foundation: What is Critical Race Theory (CRT)? ........................... 65 Race as a Social Construct ........................................................................ 69 Extending CRT: The origin of Tribal Critical Race Theory ..................... 72 Why This All Matters: Students’ Protest and Advocate for their Educational Rights .................................................................................................................... 81 The Right to Higher Education and Access to Treaty Protected Programs. ................................................................................................................... 82 What was the Native Teacher Preparation Program (NTPP)? ...... 83 The Right to Access Culturally Informed Academic and Student Support Services. .................................................................................................... 90 The Right to be Recognized as Members of a Political Group, Not Just a Racial Group. ............................................................................................ 95 The Right to Attend Institutions to Feel Safe and Not Hostile to Their Presence. ................................................................................................... 98 v CHAPTER Page The Right to be Seen as Viable, Present, “Modern” Human Beings Rather than as Commodified or Stereotyped Peoples, Goods, or Objects. ........ 102 Concluding Thoughts .......................................................................................... 106 3 MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE ...................................................................... 108 What Indigenous Students Wanted from Higher Education, How They Communicated, and What they Expected from University Leadership ............. 113 Knowledge. ............................................................................................. 114 Skills. ...................................................................................................... 115 Values/Attitudes. ..................................................................................... 116 Putting Administrators to the Test ...................................................................... 118 Example 1. .............................................................................................. 118 Example 2. .............................................................................................. 124 Incorporating the Medicine Wheel ..................................................................... 134 Promoting Justice and Conflict-Resolution from an Indigenous Student Perspective .......................................................................................................... 137 The Role of the Educational Institution in Promoting Colonial Justice Practices ............................................................................................................................. 139 Understanding Indigenous Justice: The Importance of Epistemology, Ontology and Axiology..........................................................................