You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
During a protracted hearing Tuesday, federal lawmakers questioned a U.S. Department of the Interior official and the former president of Haskell Indian Nations University over student complaints about mistreatment by the university.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle fired questions at Bryan Newland, assistant secretary for Indian affairs at the Department of the Interior, accusing the department’s Bureau of Indian Education of responding too slowly or inadequately to student and employee complaints of alleged misconduct at Haskell, including mishandled sexual assault claims. The complaints were made public in a redacted Bureau of Indian Education report on the matter released in April in response to pressure from a lawsuit. Congress has asked for an unredacted copy.
In the wake of the allegations, Newland said the Bureau of Indian Education conducted an investigation, implemented new training for staff on how to respond to sexual assault complaints and put in place a campus advocate coordinator to handle such issues. He also acknowledged bureau officials could have been more transparent about the claims against Haskell and its investigation.
“I too am frustrated by how that was handled,” he said.
The joint hearing was conducted by the Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and the Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.
Both Democrats and Republicans participated in the questioning, though some Republican lawmakers seemed eager to blame the Biden administration for ignoring problems while some Democrats pointed out that the student complaints were made during the Trump administration.
Ronald J. Graham, a former president of Haskell Indian Nations University for about a year, also appeared before Congress, as did Clay Mayes, a running coach who filed complaints about bullying and retaliation by colleagues and said students confided in him about claims of sexual harassment and assault.
Lawmakers asked the two about their experiences at the university and their interactions with bureau officials. Both described chronic problems, including staff infighting at the university.
