Sarah M Donnelly

BIA Launches New Summer Internship Program for Native Students

February 23, 2016Sarah M Donnelly1 Comment

Acting Assistant Secretary Roberts Announces Launch of the Indian Affairs
2016 Student Leadership Summer Institute for Native Students

Summer Institute builds on President’s Generation Indigenous commitment to remove barriers to opportunities for success for Indian Country’s future leaders

WASHINGTON – As part of President Obama’s Generation Indigenous (“Gen-I”) initiative to remove barriers to success for Native Youth,Acting Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. Roberts today announced the launch of the 2016 Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute, a paid 10-week summer internship program with the agency that begins in early June. The Institute will provide American Indian and Alaska Native post-secondary students with a unique opportunity to learn about federal policymaking and develop management and leadership skills within high-profile offices throughout the Indian Affairs organization. Roberts made the announcement at the National Congress of American Indians’ “Tribal Nations Legislative Summit 114^th Congress Executive Council” meeting.

“Indian Affairs is excited to offer the Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute, which will provide opportunities for Native students to gain experience and leadership skills to help serve Indian Country,” Acting Assistant Secretary Roberts said. “Under the President’s Gen-I initiative we are privileged to provide learning opportunities for the next generation of Native leaders, and believe that this program is a chance to help our young people gain valuable experience that will serve them well throughout the rest of their careers.”

The Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute’s mission is to engage and support the next generation of Native students interested in rising to leadership levels within federal government. The program will provide participants with:

An introduction to the government-to-government relationship between the United States and the 567 federally recognized tribal nations;
An understanding of how the federal government carries out its trust responsibilities to tribal and individual Indian trust beneficiaries;
How the tribal consultation process guides the development and implementation of federal Indian policies and regulations;
Real-world exposure to the Indian Affairs organization and its component bureaus, offices and programs that carry out its part of the Secretary of the Interior’s overall responsibilities to Indian Country.

The Institute is open to American Indian and Alaska Native students currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs. Between 15-to-20 students will be selected to work at either Indian Affairs’ headquarters offices in Washington, D.C., or at the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) 12 regional offices. Internships will begin in early June and end mid- August.

Application and Eligibility Requirements

I. To be eligible for the 2016 Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute, an applicant must:

Be a member of a federally recognized tribe.
Be currently enrolled and in good standing in an undergraduate or graduate degree program.
Be at least 18 years of age.
Have completed at least two years of an undergraduate degree program.

II. Applications must include the following requirements:

Personal Statement (700-word limit): The statement should discuss the applicant’s interest in the Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute and how it fits into his or her future goals of serving Indian Country. It should also describe the applicant’s personal qualities or previous leadership experiences that will enhance the experience of other American Indian and Alaska Native program participants and an area of her or his education, experience in a certain field of policy, cultural background/familiarity (close ties to region) or any other information that would help determine the applicant’s proper placement or secure a placement preference within a specific Indian Affairs office.

Resume: A one-page resume is preferred, but must be no more than two pages in length. It must list the following: education, honors and awards, work experience (including other internships), school activities (e.g., clubs, research, presentations), and/or any community activities (e.g., volunteer activities, leadership roles).

Indian Preference Verification Form BIA-4432: Because preference in filling vacancies within Indian Affairs offices is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472), an applicant must include Verification Form BIA-4432 with their application package prior to the closing date of the announcement, but only if claiming Indian Preference on the application. Applicants selected under Indian Preference will be appointed under Excepted Service, Schedule A 213.3112 (a) (7) appointing authority. For the form, go to http://www.bia.gov/cs/groups/xbie/documents/text/idc015515.pdf.

Transcripts: A full set of unofficial transcripts must be submitted at the time of application. They will be used to evaluate the level for which an applicant qualifies, which then will determine the grade level and salary offered.

While applications will begin to be accepted on Monday, February 29, 2016, through the federal employment opportunities website www.USAJobs.gov, they are due by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, March 11, 2016. Questions about the Indian Affairs Student Leadership Summer Institute program, eligibility, how to apply, and application requirements may be sent to IA_Institute@bia.gov.

Indian Affairs’ responsibility to the federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes is rooted in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution and subsequently defined in treaties, acts of Congress, executive orders and actions, federal court decisions, and federal policies and regulations.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs supports the Secretary of the Interior in carrying out the Department’s responsibilities to the federally recognized tribes through BIA and BIE programs and services. The BIA’s mission includes developing and protecting Indian trust lands and natural and energy resources; supporting social welfare, public safety and justice in tribal communities; and promoting tribal self-determination and self-governance. For more information, visit www.indianaffairs.gov.

The BIE implements federal Indian education programs and funds 183 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools (of which two-thirds are tribally operated) located on 64 reservations in 23 states and peripheral dormitories serving over 40,000 students. BIE also operates two post-secondary schools, and administers grants for 28 tribally controlled colleges and universities and two tribal technical colleges, and provides higher education scholarships to Native youth. For more information, visit www.bie.edu.

Anishinabe Legal Services Seek Staff Attorney for White Earth Office

February 22, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

Download hiring announcement here.

Office of General Counsel Vacancies

February 22, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

Download job summary and instructions here.

The Office of the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (OGC) is seeking applications for several general attorney positions in its San Francisco Regional Office. The San Francisco Office of OGC provides legal services to four administrative areas of the Indian Health Service (IHS), which delivers health care to American Indians/Alaska Natives. Persons selected for some or all of these positions will have responsibility for providing legal advice and support to the IHS. More information about the positions and the nature of our work is in the attached vacancy announcement.

Registration for Next Week’s AIPRA CLE in Albuquerque

February 19, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

There is still time to register for the CLE on the American Indian Probate Reform Act next Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This five-hour course will expose you to the principles, purposes, and implications of AIPRA with the last hour dedicated to the ethics of writing AIPRA-compliant wills.

Course instructors are:

Stephanie Hudson, Adjunct Clinical Professor for the Jodi Marquette American Indian Wills Clinic at Oklahoma City University School of Law
Gus Kerndt, Fiduciary Trust Officer with the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians in the Department of the Interior
Christine Zuni Cruz, Dickason Professor of Law at the University of New Mexico

The session will be held in the Auditorium at the New Mexico State Bar, 5121 Masthead St. N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87109. The charge for attendance is $350 for attorneys receiving 5 CLE credits (pending). Admission is free for law students, and others may attend for a nominal contribution to the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. Lunch is provided.

Click here to register for the event.

National Indian Gaming Commission Job Announcements

February 18, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

Job Title: Auditor (Portland, OR)

Job Announcement Number: NIGC-8000-16-KH-006(EX)
Salary Range: $62,531.00 to $115,867.00 / Per Year
Open Period: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 to Monday, February 22, 2016

Duties

Performs audits of class II and class III gaming operation to ensure compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (IGRA), the regulation of the NIGC, and the provisions of the tribal gaming ordinance/resolution.
Serves as the NIGC’s representative with tribal government with respect to gaming matters.
Provides training and technical assistance to tribal governments, tribal regulatory authorities, gaming operation personnel and contract managers to ensure compliance with the IGRA and NIGC regulations.
Conducts audits to investigate known or alleged violations of the IGRA and NIGC regulations, prepares reports and testifies in administrative hearings or other proceedings as designated by the Commission to hear such matters.
Coordinates with responsible management officials; and evaluates the validity of tentative findings and recommendations that have been identified.

How to Apply

Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply Online button near the bottom of this screen and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents. To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov and click on “Application Status.” Click on the position title, and then select Apply Online to continue. For details, go to this link: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/429062100

Job Title: Compliance Officers (Temecula, CA, and Oklahoma City, OK)

Job Announcement Number: NIGC-16-KH-005(EX)
Salary Range: $59,246.00 to $122,549.00 / Per Year
Open Period: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 to Monday, February 22, 2016

Duties

Conducts site visits at Indian gaming operations within assigned region to ensure compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), the provision of a tribal gaming ordinance/resolution and the regulations of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC)
Monitors tribal gaming operations to ensure IGRA compliance.
Serves as NIGC’s representative to tribal governments.
Provides training and technical assistance to tribal gaming agencies, gaming operators and management contractors.
Maintains liaison with tribal, local, state and federal law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
Conducts investigations, analyze data and prepare reports.
Testifies in administrative and other proceedings and attend staff meetings and training sessions.

How to Apply

Lewis & Clark Law School Talk with Frank Pommersheim on March 10, 2016

Image February 18, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

Nottawaseppi Band Working Group Visits Sault Ste. Marie Tribal DV Court

Image February 16, 2016Sarah M Donnelly

Notawaseppi WG — The Notawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi tribal working group touring the Sault Ste. Marie tribal domestic violence court. The NHBP working group thanks the Court and staff for hosting us. (click to enlarge)

University of Tulsa College of Law’s Tribute to Bill Rice

February 16, 2016Sarah M Donnelly2 Comments

G. William Rice (1951-2016)

Professor Bill Rice passed away on February 14, 2016 after an extraordinary career in practice and as an academic focusing on issues and rights of American Indians and indigenous people around the world. Professor Rice, a member of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, served as the Attorney General for the Sac and Fox Nation, Chief Justice for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Assistant Chief and Chief Judge for the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, and Associate Justice for the Kickapoo Nation of Indians in Kansas. He was a tireless advocate for Indian tribes and Indian peoples, successfully arguing on behalf of the Sac and Fox Nation in the United States Supreme Court in Oklahoma Tax Commission v. Sac and Fox Nation, 508 U.S. 114 (1993). He played an active role in the United Nations Working Group on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which led to the U.N. General Assembly’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. When he began this work, Bill would frequently say “indigenous people — that’s ME!” with a twinkle in his eye. Clearly, his impact reaches from central Oklahoma to Geneva, Switzerland. His passing is a great loss to many.

Professor Rice joined The University of Tulsa College of Law in 1995 teaching Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, International Indigenous Law, Native American and Indigenous Rights, Tribal Government, and Tribal Gaming Law. He treated his students with great compassion and kindness while challenging them to achieve at the highest levels. In addition to TU Law, Professor Rice taught at Cornell Law School, University of North Dakota School of Law, University of Oklahoma, University of New Mexico, and at Antioch School of Law’s Indian Paralegal program.

Professor Rice’s book, Tribal Governmental Gaming Law (Carolina Academic Press, 2006) is the first law school casebook for use in Indian gaming law classes. He contributed to the two latest revisions of Felix Cohen’s classic Indian law treatise, the Handbook of Federal Indian Law, and wrote extensively in the field of Indian law. Regularly called upon to speak at scholarly and governmental meetings, his speaking engagements included presentations to the United Nations’ Workshop on Indigenous Children and Youth, the University of Paris VII – Denis Diderot, The Federal Bar Association’s Indian Law Conference, the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s Sovereignty Symposium, and numerous appearances at functions sponsored by government agencies, major university law schools, and Indian Tribes.

Professor Rice’s great passions were the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the revitalization of the legal and political systems of Indian Tribes. He was the founding Director of the LL.M. Degree in American Indian and Indigenous Law and the Master of Jurisprudence in Indian Law, and served as Co-Director of the Native American Law Center at The University of Tulsa College of Law.

Professor Rice was a teacher and mentor to generations of Indian lawyers. He had enormous influence on the field of Indian law. John LaVelle, his colleague from the University of New Mexico, best expressed what Professor Rice meant to those who knew him: “Bill was a champion for Indian people in heart, mind, and soul. I am honored to have known and worked with him.”

On a personal note, Bill was one of the best. He was a man of towering intellect and vision, and a generous, kind, down-to-earth friend and colleague. He was a consummate story-teller, who loved a good joke. His joy was infectious.

Professor Rice is survived by his wife Annette, his children, grandchildren, and extended family. He will be greatly missed by the TU Law community.