Welcome to Washington State University’s Native American Programs. Our offices work to increase Native American student recruitment and retention, and also coordinate with tribes to promote initiatives on campus that benefit Native students and encourage responsible research and interaction with tribes.

Washington State University acknowledges that its locations statewide are on the homelands of Native peoples, who have lived in this region from time immemorial. There are 37 federally recognized Tribes that historically shared their traditional homelands and waterways in what is now Washington State. Of these, 29 are federally recognized Tribes in Washington with the remaining Tribes in Idaho, Montana, and Oregon, some of which represent multiple tribes and bands.

The University expresses its deepest respect for and gratitude towards these original and current caretakers of the region. As an academic community, we acknowledge our responsibility to establish and maintain relationships with these tribes and Native peoples, in support of tribal sovereignty and the inclusion of their voices in teaching, research and programming. Washington State University established the Office of Tribal Relations and Native American Programs to guide us in our relationship with tribes and service to Native American students and communities. We also pledge that these relationships will consist of mutual trust, respect, and reciprocity.

As a land grant institution, we also recognize that the Morrill Act of 1862 established land-grant institutions by providing each state with “public” and federal lands, which are traced back to the dispossession of Indigenous lands. In 1890, Washington State received 90,081 acres of Indigenous Lands designated to establish Washington State University (see data). Washington State University retains the majority of these lands to this day. We acknowledge that the disposition of Indigenous lands was often taken by coercive and violent acts, and the disregard of treaties. For that, we extend our deepest apologies. We owe our deepest gratitude to the Native peoples of this region and maintain our commitment towards reconciliation.

See Full Acknowledgement