In recent months, the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) was one of many tribal colleges facing federal funding cuts.
President Trump’s budget proposal threatens to reduce the school’s federal allocation from $13.482 million to zero beginning October 1, 2025.
The newly appointed IAIA president, Shelly Lowe said there have been threats to federal funding all across the country. But she’s thankful that she continues to see support from the school’s appropriators and Congress.
“They are on board to support us. You know, we're still out there trying to make sure that their constituencies, our own constituencies, know very well what we are doing and the importance of it,” she said.
Lowe said she’s planning for a normal fall semester and has no intention of changing anything.
“We're going to keep talking to our appropriators and ensuring that we have enough funding, and we're going to be out there really looking for donors and looking for individuals who are interested in supporting the institution, but we're moving forward as normal for the next year, and we'll just keep working hard,” she said.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, the Interior Department’s appropriation bill passed both the Senate and House Appropriations Committee, which includes a $12 million appropriation for IAIA.
This bill now advances to the full House and Senate for consideration.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
