University of Utah turns back about $2 million in grants

The University of Utah says it wasn't insensitive of the need to educate American Indian teachers when it turned back roughly $2 million in federal funding for that purpose.

However, several people with ties to the U.'s American Indian Teacher Training Program are questioning the decision to turn back new funding for the fellowship, which provides financial support and mentoring for those who commit to teaching at schools serving American Indian students.

One of the new grants, almost $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Indian Education, would have provided training in the Four Corners area for teacher aides to train to become teachers. Another grant, nearly $1.1 million, was for training students to become math or science teachers.

The decision won't impact nine students who are expected to graduate under the program in May and receive mentoring during their first year of teaching, said Michael L. Hardman, dean of the U. College of Education. The problem was that the total cost over the next four years were approximately $3.5 million.

"In looking at our limited resources at the university, the decision was the more effective use of the state funds would be to have an impact on more students," he said.

Problems with the grant were a lack of funding from the university to implement the program, and the loss of two key staff members who oversaw the program, Hardman said.

Now, the U. is looking to the future, Hardman said, and is in the process of recruiting two new American Indian faculty members and a director of American Indian Education. The hope, he says, is to rebuild the staff and compete for federal grants in the future.

Octavio Villapando, the U.'s new associate vice president for diversity, said that campus-wide the U. is committed to being a place that supports American Indian and other underrepresented students. As part of that effort, he said the American Indian Resource Center has a new director and is set to be rededicated on Friday.

University of Utah President Michael K. Young said in a statement the rededication represents a "commitment to enhance the success of American Indian students, faculty and staff."

Villapando said the recent grant situation shows a need to rely less on federal funds.