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SOU offers in-state tuition to all Native American students By Vickie Aldous Updated: Aug 23, 2022 11:21 AM A A Kayla Dumore, co-chair of the SOU Native American Student Union, welcomed news this week of SOU’s decision to offer in-state tuition prices to all members of federally recognized tribes. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Change saves money for out-of-state students Southern Oregon University announced this week it will offer in-state tuition prices to all members of federally recognized Native American tribes, no matter where they live. The change goes into effect this fall and could save out-of-state students from nearly $5,000 to more than $18,000, depending on where they live, SOU said. “SOU has deep respect for the cultural heritage that our Native American students embody,” SOU President Rick Bailey said in a statement. “The university is also committed to providing opportunities for all first-generation and other nontraditional students to pursue their academic dreams. We believe that our entire university community will benefit from encouraging the enrolled members of tribes across the country to join us at SOU and enrich our campus.” The decision came after Oregon State University and Portland State University announced they would offer in-state tuition to all Native Americans throughout the nation. SOU initially said it wouldn’t offer in-state tuition, then reversed course. Kayla Dumore, a member of the Klamath Modoc Tribe and co-chair of the SOU Native American Student Union, welcomed news of SOU’s decision this week. “I was very excited to hear that SOU has made the decision to offer in-state tuition for students of any federally recognized tribe,” she said. “This is a wonderful advancement for not only SOU, but also the students it serves.” Dumore said she feels a sense of pride knowing SOU is taking the necessary steps toward honoring Indigenous peoples. “While by no means is this the final step, this decision does give me hope for the future of higher education, and I am celebrating this wonderful achievement,” she said. SOU said a simplified process at SOU will allow Native American students from outside Oregon to apply for in-state tuition during the admission application process by submitting documentation of their membership in any of the 574 federally recognized tribes in the U.S. Those students will still be considered out-of-state students, but will be charged in-state tuition rates. Current students who may qualify for the discounted rates may submit tribal documentation to the registrar’s office at [email protected] . Any student with questions about the new policy should contact the admissions office at [email protected] , SOU said. The number of current SOU students who could benefit from in-state tuition rates is unclear. A total of 251 SOU students identified as being American Indian or Alaskan Native when they enrolled last fall, and 167 of those were from Oregon. However, the ethnicity categories during enrollment are self-reported, and students can choose none, one or multiple ethnicities, SOU said. Of those who identified as being American Indian or Alaska Native, only 11 chose the additional option of identifying themselves as being affiliated with any of the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon, SOU said. SOU has long had a Native American Studies Program open to any student and its Konaway Nika Tillicum residential summer program for Native American youth. In recent years, SOU added faculty and course offerings to the Native American Studies Program, and helped start an Indigenous Gardens Network where traditional food and other culturally significant items can be cultivated, harvested and made accessible to Indigenous people. The residential summer program added an online program for families, SOU said. SOU said it’s strengthening its ties with Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and those of Northern California, including developing memoranda of understanding with some that recognize mutual educational interests and spell out benefits ranging from financial aid opportunities to mentorship programs. Last year, the university adopted a land acknowledgment statement recognizing the campus sits on the ancestral homelands of Native American tribes. Many Shasta, Takelma and Latgawa people were forced from their lands and removed to reservations in northern Oregon in the 1800s. Statewide, Oregon adopted the Oregon Tribal Student Grant Program, which offsets the cost of attending eligible Oregon colleges and universities. The program is funded for the 2022-2023 academic years, with future grants dependent on renewed funding from the Oregon Legislature. Information is available at oregonstudentaid.gov , along with information about other programs to help a wide range of students afford college. Reach Mail Tribune reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @VickieAldous.