IAIA

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.

On August 1 2025, Shelly Lowe (Navajo) from Ganado Arizona became the newest president of the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM. She previously served as chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities and led the Harvard University Native American Program. Lowe told KUNM about her first introduction to IAIA when her son was looking for an art school.

The Institute of American Indian Arts is facing the loss of all its federal funding – about $13 million – as outlined in President Trump’s budget proposal. A student and an alumn talked with KUNM about what that could mean.

On June 2nd, President Trump released his budget proposal for the next fiscal year that removes funding for tribal colleges, which includes the Institute of American Indian Arts.

Tribal colleges are the only public higher education institutions in New Mexico where students cannot use the state lottery scholarship. A measure…