The Legacy of a Land Grant
The University of Minnesota's Rekoning with a History of Land Acquisition and Indigenous Displacement
The University's Current Land Acknowledgement:
We acknowledge that the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is built within the traditional homelands of the Dakota people. It is important to acknowledge the peoples on whose land we live, learn, and work as we seek to improve and strengthen our relations with our tribal nations.
We also acknowledge that words are not enough. We must ensure that our institution provides support, resources, and programs that increase access to all aspects of higher education for our American Indian students, staff, faculty, and community members.
Other University of Minnesota campuses land acknowledgments state something to the same degree. However, a few go more in depth in regards to acknowledging whose land it is, such as University of Minnesota-Duluth and University of Minnesota-Morris.
Treaties
The University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus is located on the traditional (and current) homelands of the Dakota people
The University's St. Paul campus sits on land that was acquired through the treaty of 1837 (shown in green). The treaty was signed by several fur traders. These traders are believed to have been acting in their own favor during the treaty making process.
The land upon which the University's East and West Bank sit was acquired by the territory of Minnesota through the treaty of Traverse des Sioux in 1851 (shown in magenta). The Dakota received approximately 12 cents an acre for this land ($1.25/acre was the typical rate of sale among settlers).
Among the signers of these treaties were University Regents, Alexander Ramsey and Henry Sibley.
Click the different colored sections of the map to learn more about Minnesota's treaties.
Early Land Grants
At its founding as a Territorial University in 1851, the University of Minnesota was granted nearly 50,000 acres of land designated to financially support the institution.
The Regents chose to defer their land section until “after the ratification of Indian Treaties,” hoping they would be allowed “a wider range [of land]… to make a selection most favorable to the interests of the Institution.”
Many of the first lands selected for high concentration of timberlands and proximity to the Rum River. Several of the University's Regents had personal business interests in the timber industry.
The University still maintains several tracts of land in this region today.
Navigate the map to discover what land the University currently owns in Minnesota.
The U.S. - Dakota War
Following a decade of financial hardship due to the mismanagement of University funds, the University of Minnesota struggled back to its feet.
Little Crow
Meanwhile, years of broken treaty promises and delayed annuity payments culminated in the Dakota, led by Chief Little Crow, waging a war for their survival. Governor Alexander Ramsey declared that the Dakota must be "exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of the state." He tasked local fur-trader turned politican and military colonel Henry Sibley with carrying out this act of genocide. Sibley was joined by William Rainey Marshall (also a Regent) in his war campaign.
In the end, 38 Dakota men were hanged in the largest mass execution in United States history. Sibley was promoted to general and went on to lead several subsequent "Indian Expeditions" (along with Marshall) that sought to further terrorize the Dakota and drive them outside the borders of the State. The most egregious moment of these expeditions occurred in September 1863 when the military massacred over 300 peaceful Dakota, most of whom were women and children at Whitestone Hill .
Both the Dakota and Ho-Chunk (despite having no involvement in the war) were exiled from the state. The state and its Land Grant institution were left with even more Indigenous land to acquire.
The Morrill Act
The Morrill Act designated 30,000 acres for each state to establish agricultural and mechanical Universities. These acres could be acquired both within and outside a state's borders.
The treaty lands from Traverse des Sioux provided more land for Land Grant universities than any other treaty in the United States.
The University of Minnesota claimed its Morrill Act land five weeks after the Dakota hanging. It eventually sold these lands, but maintains many of the mineral rights.
Explore High Country News' Land-Grab Universities website to see how state institutions across the nation profited from Minnesota's lands.
UMN-Twin Cities Tuition Waiver
A tuition waiver offering full coverage to Native students whose families make less than $75,000/yr will begin fall of 2022. However, this only includes those who belong to tribal nations existing within Minnesota. This excludes all other federally recognized tribes, including those from the Dakota and Ho-Chunk Nations whose people were removed from the state in the aftermath of the US-Dakota War.
Interact with this site to hear and read coverage on Minnesota Public Radio of this plan.
University of Minnesota-Morris
Prior to becoming the University of Minnesota's Morris campus, the site operated as a Native American boarding school from 1887 until 1909. The University of Minnesota-Morris recognizes the sites history and waives tuition for all members or descendants of a federally recognized Native American tribe, Alaskan Native Village, or First Nation.
It is also signed into Minnesota State law through Minnesota State Statute 137.16 that the University operates this way.
The waiver does not cover the cost of room, board, and all other student fees.
The waiver is not granted retroactively.
Read more about UMN-Morris Tuition Waiver below
Minnesota's Tribal Colleges and Minnesota State Universities
The four tribal colleges located in Minnesota offer higher education opportunities within native communities. These institutions tie in indigenous culture within their curriculum. Click on the tribal colleges listed below to learn more about their mission, values, and history.
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities offer transfer programs from Tribal College and have appointed employees to help students apply for state scholarships for Native people and to help with the transition between colleges.
Click this link to see what Minnesota State Universities are doing to support transfer students from Tribal Colleges.
Other Opportunities For Indigenous Students
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community offers scholarships to students from tribes across the nation that attend SMSC-Scholarship supported universities. This includes an endowed scholarship by the University of Minnesota and is available to those attending any of the University's campuses.
Interact with this site to find out more about this scholarship and other scholarship opportunities for Native students supported by SMSC.
Breaking Down University of Minnesota's New Tuition Waiver
The UMN declared that starting in Fall of 2022 they would be implementing system wide free or reduced tuition for Indigenous students from any of the 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota. Diving a little deeper, here's what that looks like;
Tuition Coverage:
- Students who's family income is under $75,000 per year will be fully covered.
- 80-90% Coverage for students who's family income is between $75,000 and $125,000.
- Students who's family income is above $125,000 will not be eligible, but can apply to different financial scholarships.
- Tuition is not covered over May or Summer terms.
- Tuition will only be covered for four consecutive years.
Additional Requirements:
- Individuals don't have to live in state, but they must be enrolled in one of the 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota.
- Students must be entering their first year (either coming straight from high school or transferring from one of the four tribal colleges located in state) at one of the five UMN campuses.
- Students must be registered to take a full time credit load (min 13 credits per semester).
- A GPA of 2.0 must be achieved and maintained every semester.
- Students can not have already received an undergraduate degree from the University.
Indigenous Response
"U of M providing tuition support to the Tribal Nations in the state is a great step forward." -Nick Estes
Who is Nick Estes?
- Future UMN Professor
- Podcast Host for Red Nation
- Member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and Citizen of the Oceti Sakowin Oyate (Great Sioux) Nation
What are Estes' feelings?
- While the waiver is a cecessary improvement and a good step forward, it does not include the tribes that were exiled during the U.S. - Dakota War
"However, Tribal Nations like my Dakota relatives outside of MN who were expelled and genocided from the state but whose stolen lands the university turned a profit on are not eligible." - Nick Estes
"This program is a meaningful step to increasing access and continuing to improve retention and graduation rates while closing opportunity gaps." - Karen Diver
Who is Karen Diver?
- University's senior advisor to the president for Native American affairs
- Member of the Fond Du Lack Tribe
What does Diver want to see?
- Wants to start the program with first year/first year transfer students to see how much demand there is for the program and tuition waiver.
"How do we...help them navigate a very large bureaucratic institution, so that small things don't become a big hurdle for these learners." -Karen Diver
"The opportunity ... to access an institution that historically we've been denied access to." - Shannon Geshick
Who is Shannon Geshick?
- Executive director of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC)
- Citizen of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
What does Geshick want to see?
- Hopes the income eligibility will eventually increase.
"I think right now we're just basking in this new opportunity..." - Shannon Geshick
"How can we be paying rent to Dakota people?" - Jack Ballou
Who is Jack Ballou?
- Current UMN Student
- Member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe
What are Jack's feelings?
- It's a good start and UMN Morris has a great program, but not perfect.
"We have been very honest from my first days as president that we need to better serve citizens of our Tribal Nations and their communities." - Joan Gabel
- Jack said that Joan Gabel's statement "sounded possessive towards MN based tribes" and "presumed dominance."
- Neither Joan Gabel, nor the UMN should be assuming ownership over any of the federal tribes because the tribes are sovereign nations that belong to no one but themselves.
- Jack also said that this was "...An attack on Indigenous sovereignty."
"[The Dakota] didn't have a seat at the table when making this decision...this is still a performance." -Jack Ballou
- There was a lack of Dakota representation when crafting this tuition coverage plan despite the fact that the University is situated on the traditional and current homelands of the Dakota
- The structure of the tuition waiver seems to be more of a needs based scholarship instead of reparations.
- Tuition coverage does not adequately addressed the harms caused by the University of Minnesota to the Ojibwe, Dakota and Ho Chunk nations.
"They have the endowment and could fully cover [all tuition for Indigenous students]." - Jack Ballou
- In terms of financing this plan, Jack wanted to bring attention to the UMN's endowment (which is currently $3.87 billion).
"Being in college isn't too late to reckon with positionality." - Jack Ballou
“And for our children, removing that barrier is a huge deal. And creating access to higher education is the way to uplift our community." - Sam Strong
Who is Sam Strong?
- Secretary of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa
- Citizen of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa
What are Strong's feelings?
- A good starting point, but this cannot be an end point.
- There are other historic injustices that still need to be addressed.
- One of those injustices was the medical research done on tribal members in the 20th century and the lack of Native consent in that research and the results.
- Suggested the University to establish college preparation programs on reservations.
"...I do want to make sure to impress upon everyone that this is just a starting point, a great starting point. But something that needs to be built off of." - Sam Strong
MIAC Demands:
- Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC).
- Established in 1963.
- Liaison between tribes and the state of MN.
- MIAC members are appointed by the head/chair of each of the tribes.
- 28 member board.
- 5 full time staff.
What/Who is MIAC?:
- Full tuition waiver for all Indigenous undergraduate & graduate students. // New tuition coverage plan does a great job at beginning to meet this demand, but is not a full waiver, nor is it for all Indigenous students, nor does it apply to graduate students.
- Repatriation of Indigenous remains. // This has not been addressed.
- Return the Cloquet Forestry Center to the Fond du Lac Tribe. // This has not been addressed.
- Establish an undergraduate program and degree in the Dakota language. // This is in progress!
Some of the MIAC Demands Made in 2020:
Conclusion
While the problematic past cannot be undone, the University of Minnesota still has an opportunity to create a better future.
The Land Acknowledgement was only the beginning. There is a long road of reparations and reconciliation ahead of the University.
