America Meredith is teaching Native American Art History I and II this semester and has shared her syllabi. The Native American Art History I course covers pre-contact to late 19th century. The Native American Art History II course picks up with late 19th century thru 1960. Both links open in Word.
In the Spirit of Sharing Resource, Part II
September 8th, 2009NSU Establishes Sequoyah Fellowship, Mankiller Named Inaugural Fellow
September 8th, 2009NSU Press Release and photo op here. Congratulations to Wilma and the whole NSU community.
Annual Sequoyah Commission Conference
September 1st, 2009The Annual Sequoyah Commission Conference will be held at NSU in Tahlequah later this week: September 3-4, 2009. The full agenda is here and there is no registration fee. Congrats to Dr. Richard Allen for putting this together and good luck to the presenters. For more info contact Dr. Allen at the Cherokee Nation.
Job Fair in DC – NALSA
August 14th, 2009The National Native American Law Students Association will be hosting the annual job fair in DC on August 28, 2009. For more information, check out their the NNALSA website or contact Area 3 Rep Tracie Revis at Area3Rep@NationalNalsa.org.
Back to School, Back to Work
August 14th, 2009Those of us who were lucky enough to have some time off this summer are making our way back to the office. Please send any updated contact info, news of visiting appointments, or other start of the semester news to Stacy Leeds and we’ll have it posted on-line.
Have a good semester!
Gambling with our futures?
July 14th, 2009
One of the first things to suffer during a recession is disposable income – activities such as gambling are among the first to go. Today, approximately 240 (43 percent) of the 562 federally recognized Indigenous nations engage in some form of gaming by operating more than 400 casinos and bingo halls throughout 28 states. Yet the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (1988) was never meant to sustain Indigenous economies over the long haul. Most Indigenous nations operating casinos break even under the best of economic circumstances (fewer than 20% of Indigenous nations operating casinos generate about 70% of the $26.7 billion in revenues). So how have Indigenous nations with casinos fared since the economic crisis of 2008?
Based on a June 2009 press release from the National Indian Gaming Commission, Indigenous gaming revenues in 2008 totaled $26.7 billion, which was an increase of 2.3 percent from the prior year. In comparison, general commercial and racetrack casino sectors (excluding Indigenous gaming) experienced a 3.4 percent decline in gaming revenues in 2008, generating a total of $36.2 billion. These statistics can be misleading, however, as the global economic downturn has negatively impacted Indigenous casino profits in several regions. For example, the Foxwoods Resort and Casino operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Sun operated by the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut reported slot revenues of $1.6 billion in 2008, representing a drop of about 7 percent from 2007. Seneca Gaming, which operates three Class III casinos in upstate New York, reported an 8.7 percent decline in the third quarter and an almost 10 percent decline in the fourth quarter of 2008. Indigenous casinos in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado also showed significant declines in gaming revenue towards the end of 2008.
These regional declines don’t appear to have strongly impacted Indigenous gaming in Oklahoma. Recently, the Cherokee Nation Enterprises reported a profit of $116 million in 2008, which was a $4.4 million increase (4 percent) since 2007, “but also was the lowest growth amount since 2001”. According to Kelli Bruer, public relations manager for Cherokee Nation Enterprises, “The top line slowed a little,” and “ongoing construction during the year at the West Siloam Springs casino and the recession may have slowed the numbers some”. Even so, Cherokee Nation Enterprises also increased its workforce between 2008 and 2009, going from 3,180 employees to 3,399 employees, a substantial increase from 10 years ago when there were only 511.
As with other Indigenous nations running casinos, the Cherokees have also been distributing informative brochures entitled Where the Casino Money Goes to its citizens. In 2008, for example, forty percent of the Cherokee casino profits ($174 million) went toward operating expenses, while thirty percent of the money ($131.7 million) went towards employee payrolls (most of whom of Cherokees). Another twenty-six percent ($116 million) went towards new job creation and services for Cherokee elders, youths and communities and the final four percent ($18.9 million) was earmarked for gaming compact fees with the state. As these figures and the long histories of Indigenous nations suggest, gaming was never meant to be the main engine for all Indigenous economic development – it is only one pathway that Indigenous nations choose to implement based on their self-determining authority. The question remains whether Indigenous gaming revenues have peaked and will level off or experience a steady descent, or whether the growth will continue…to what extent are we gambling with our futures?
Sources:
Adcock, Clifton. June 17, 2009. “Tribe’s Casino Revenue Up Again.” Tulsa World. Available at: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleid=20090617_11_A9_Despit825452
“NIGC Announces 2008 Revenues”, June 3, 2009. National Indian Gaming Commission. Accessed at: http://www.nigc.gov/ReadingRoom/PressReleases/PressReleasesMain/PR113062009/tabid/918/Default.aspx
“2008 National Commercial Casino & Racino Gaming Revenue Analysis”. Accessed at: http://casinodev.com/revisedsitework/homepage/2008National.pdf
Leech Lake Seeks College President
May 7th, 2009Leech Lake Tribal College is conducting a search for a new president. The full booklet describing the search can be downloaded here.
New Indian Child Welfare CD Available from OILS
May 7th, 2009Oklahoma Indian Legal Services, Inc. announces the 2009 edition of The Indian Child Welfare Act: Case and Analysis has been completed and is available for sale. The book, contained on CD-ROM, is a nationally-recognized resource for ICWA practitioners, and one of the few resources that is updated annually.
The book, written by C. Steven Hager, contains analysis of decisions from across the country, recognizes trends in the law that may impact nationally, and provides tribal addresses by state rather than BIA regional office. The book also contains case briefs, suggested forms, Oklahoma jury instructions, statutory text, and the Government Accountability Office’s 2005 analysis of ICWA compliance.
The Indian Child Welfare Act: Case and Analysis is available from OILS for $30.00. Further information is available at the OILS website, www.oilsonline.org
Server Transfer
April 21st, 2009Thanks for your patience as we transfer the server from www.stacyleeds.com to www.tsalagithinktank.com. The full transition should be complete in the first week of May.