Dialogue From Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn and The BIE ?
We thought the standard definition meant that there was two-way
communication; or multi-directional communication. BIE education
post-secondary director Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn redefines
“dialogue” to mean, what can I think of to spend money on that will
give my guys something to do ?
Echohawk supports dialogue sessions (but Birdwell-Bighorn is quick
to point out that it is not consultation ).
What is the difference, you ask?
Consultation is a legal term that means they (BIE) is
actually supposed to listen to WHAT INDIANS say; dialogue means
they can bore you death reading powerpoints and never make a point.
So, who is paying for this travel? Who decides who gets to travel?
Where is the information
gathered going? How is it impacting the
decisions at Haskell ? We can guess it is appropriated funds, so
whose budget is it? We hear the Haskell finance officer can find
money for his pet projects.
The Haskell Board of Regents aren’t complaining (they get paid
travel for themselves and their friends ).
Seems like The BIE is spending money on everyone except the students.
Case in point :
Haskell Instructor Mike Tosee was given a year off from Haskell to finish
his PH.D and given grant money of $30k. This was so Haskell students
could have a better and more quantified instructor. Did he finish
his PH.D ? NO!
But he did sent his wife to Montana where she
attended a “dialogue session” and wanted to know why things are in
such disarray. ( Good question after that rape at Haskell last weekend )
We are sure Haskell students would like to know the
same thing when $30k is given to an instructor to finish his PH.D
and he never does! So what happens to the money ? Does Mr.Tosee have to
give it back ? Get to keep it what ?
There are a lot of Haskell Students who could use that money….once again students
stand last in line. Everyone else from The BIE on down is spending
their funds ! Students don’t have enough to buy a winter coat or go home
for Thanksgiving ? Thanks to a social worker turned BIE employee
Ms.Birdwell-Bighorn decisions. No one seems to care.
The BIE did after all put a person with a degree in social work and NOT even a Ph.D in charge of your Native
American University, just hope she doesn’t destroy the whole thing before the BIE finally catches on and
let’s her go. Would she not be better suited for a job with Indian Child Welfare? Oh sorry I forgot doesn’t
matter to The BIE. Just go sit in which ever office you want, for a year and it can be your’s ! Funny
sounds like Indian land squatting to me, only this is apparently Indian job squatting !
Hopefully Haskell’s new Board of Regents actually intend to try to
change the Board by believing they should be doing something
BESIDES HAVING A RAFFLE…
Haskellnews Commentary Blog 
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larryville49 says…
So what happens Tosee’s classes while he takes a year off ? Who teaches them?
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ssakcaj says…
If you ever had taken his class you would realize it doesn’t make a difference who is teaching it anyway. The guy is so lazy he uses the same tests and handouts from 20 years ago. And when I say same, I mean exact same. One of the other students in a class I took with him had tests and handouts from 1992, and they were the exact same as the ones we were handed out last year. Mike Tosee, now there is a hardly working man.
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sypeccary (Anonymous) says…
Another AIS lecturer was given time off and money to complete her PhD at KU and she did not finish it. Look at the results of her teaching and you could say it doesn’t matter who teaches her classes either.