Native American Studies: A Utah Perspective

Abstract

Utah has missed an opportunity to foster, support, or lead out with exemplary Native American Studies programs within its higher education network. Considering the intertwined religious and political roots of the establishment of the state, the overall commitment to the American Indians as a whole has not been a major priority issue. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dominates the state with 70 percent membership.[1] Within this grouping, one percent of the Utah LDS membership is American Indian, four tenths of one percent male, six tenths of one percent female. [2] According to the 1980 U.S. Census, 1.32 percent of the Utah population claimed American Indian heritage. [31 One of the basic tenents of the LDS Church holds the ancestry of the American Indians in very high regard. Coming to grips with the contemporary American Indians has had mixed reactions and results. Overall, the treatment and attitudes expressed toward American Indians have been fairly positive. It has been within such a milieu that Brigham Young University provided the State of Utah with its only Native American Studies program. The Brigham Young University campus is located in Provo, approximately 45 miles south of Salt Lake City. It boasts a student body population of 27,000 and is regarded as the largest private university in the nation. Currently there are less than 200 identifiable American Indian students enrolled, a far cry from the heyday of high enrollment figures of 600 in the mid-1970's. In 1974 the record boasted 77 different tribes or tribal blends from 38 states, the largest group of Indian students at any university.[4] It was during the early 1970's when the Native American Studies program was conceived, approved, and implemented as an academic minor receiving a catalogue listing by 1977-78. Across the nation, other institutions of higher education had felt pressures through the 1960's into the 1970's from their respective students with concern from the public to establish ethnic studies programs. There were those campuses whose programs were established following demonstrations, petitions, threats, and violence. Nevertheless, Brigham Young University methodically observed and attempted to evaluate the variety of ethnic studies programs which sprang up nationally. Spearheading the 1973-74 undertaking were Drs. John R. Maestas, V. Con Osborne, and Fred R. Gowans of the Department of Indian Education. Dr. Maestas, a Tewa Pueblo, would eventually serve as department chairman as would Dr. Osborne in turn.[5] Dr. Gowans was named the NaBrigham Young University once had more than 600 American Indian students participating in an American Studies program. Now there are less than 200 identifiable American Indian students enrolled in the university.