This letter is in support of Diné College and the mission and philosophy of our Diné people. This letter comes to you from very sad, disheartened and frustrated students of Diné College and members of the Diné-Navajo Nation, and on behalf of the students of Diné College.
Diné College was founded as an "institution of higher education chartered by the Navajo Nation. Our mission is to apply the Sa'ah Naaghai Bik'eh Hozhoo principles to advance quality student learning: Through Nitsáhákees (Thinking), Nahat'á (Planning), liná (Living), and Siihasin (Assuring)."
However unfortunately in recent developments some of the faculty members and board members have driven the college in a direction that is not suitable for a positive and conducive learning environment for the Diné people.
Since Sa'ah Naaghai Bik'eh Hozhoo is the fundamental philosophy of the college, President Clark has led the college in the right path of academic progression with a delicate balance between the Diné and Western thought and learning.
Diné College President Ferlin Clark has done nothing wrong to be the victim and subject of scrutiny, cruelty and unjust treatment. He has provided us (the student body) with a good example of a true and prominent academic, and hope and aspiration for the future.
We have been to several board meetings and have observed the vindictive, malicious, cruel and wrongful acts and decisions of the board of regents:
• First, and of greatest importance is the board of regents calls us (students) their children, calling us shiyaazhi. Yet they treat us (students, their children) so badly they should be charged and punished for child abuse and neglect and other criminal implications should be brought against them for the abuse that they have caused upon the college president students and our school - our home.
• The board of regents is confused. They do not support the underlying philosophy of the college, which is based on the history and the essence of being Diné and our way of life. On the contrary, they are bringing to the college their anglicized and religious view points and working against what took our forefathers many years to establish and what President Clark supports and works toward in accomplishing the mission and goals of the college.
• The board of regents do not support the students in any way shape or form. An example of their neglect and abuse is when we have traditional learning and development sessions and they refuse to participate.
• The board of regents do not want to sit down and participate in Diné traditional mediation and counseling sessions. However, they do not hesitate in intake alcoholic beverages. They have been observed to be intoxicated with alcohol during college related business trips at the college's expense, at our (students) expense.
• We have seen pictures of Fannie Atcitty and some staff drinking beer and whiskey on college trips. Nothing happens to them. But when we students make a small mistake we are abused and threatened by the dorm staff and security. They do not try to help us.
• The board of regent's president calls meetings so that they can be paid a stipend of $250 per meeting. They are calling emergency meetings with no just cause. They do not even have an agenda. Within the last few months they have called several meetings and have paid themselves $500 sometimes there are "no meetings" held and they still get paid. This is unfair during this time of economic depression. As students we are struggling financially and yet the regents are taking our money.
• The students want to go to all board meetings but it is sad that the board cannot keep the meetings at the college and keep it on schedule, but they want students to learn to be mature, professional and honest but they are not.
• They have made irrational and false claims against the college administration. They have bullied and intimidated our college president in so many ways that is has become so obviously depraved and there are definite signs of corruption.
• The board of regents is not committed and loyal to our college. For example, regent Fannie Atcitty is haphazard in her approach and does not demonstrate positive and good leadership. She needs to be removed as she also serves on the board of Haskell Indian Nations University. The other members can also be questioned as they have personal agendas and we have heard that they are also double-dipping by traveling at the expense of Diné College and supporting another institution/government entities.
• At a meeting in October 2009 the students wanted to talk at the board meeting and the board president said "No" without any explanation. This was very disrespectful, humiliating and unprofessional.
• Fannie Atcitty and her husband have treated our students badly and have intimidated our students.
• We also heard Fannie Atcitty say that, "The Navajo Nation president wants a different college president" indicating that the Navajo Nation president is also the cause of the unhealthy turmoil within the college. We hope that this is not true - the confusion caused by the actions and words of the board of regents has led the college into a state of imbalance and chaos among the faculty, students, administration, and community.
How can Diné College students feel safe and comfortable to learn when there is so much discontent that the board of regents (who are supposed to be our elders and leaders) has caused upon our college?
We do not want President Clark, good administrators and faculty to continue to go through this unmeaningful turmoil. How good staff and administration function and perform their job duties to the fullest and most productive extent if they are constantly being attacked by what is suppose to be the board of regents?
Where and when will this end? What has President Clark done to hurt the students and college, except to stand strong and fight for an educational system founded on Diné cultural values and principles?
Who else is doing this type of work? Who else will provide this type of compassionate leadership for Diné youth? We support Diné College and President Ferlin Clark and we want the abuse and brutal treatment stopped, it cannot go on any longer.
We are afraid of retaliation because of what our student regent experienced by some of the staff who are friends or related to Fannie Atcitty and Loretta Draper, but we feel Diné College is our school and we have a right to stand up and be heard.
There is no other place in the world as special, unique, beautiful, and powerful as Diné College. We, as students, want to see hoozho restored and to flourish for many years to come at Diné College. This will reassure us and the Diné people that we will remain as Diné with a sacred way of life for many generations to come. Today, we take a stand and send our voices to be heard throughout the Navajo Nation and the world.
Denny Emery
Alex Largie
Shawn Kee
Dustin J. Shirley
Ervin Gonnie
Marwin Clark
Chris Yazzie
Diné College
Tsaile, Ariz.
Lack of training for leaders hurts progress
It is obvious a major reason our Dineh Nation government cannot avoid internal crisis is the inability to groom our leaders to ensure a problem-free succession. We are witness to this lack of training for prospective leaders thus hurting Navajo's ability to make progress in all key areas.
The results from the recent special election to reduce the council to 24, and approving a line-item veto for the president, is a beginning. It does not, however, solve the real problem which is identifying and recruiting genuine leaders for top posts in our nation's government.
My father used to say, "If a man wants to have good cattle, he should have good bulls to breed." In the same vein, if we want our government to improve and go on, we must have a pool of leaders to manage affairs. And it is the Dineh Nation leaders that must provide that pool of leaders if only it can establish workable training programs to begin grooming them.
We have for too long counted on "luck." If you go back in history, I believe everyone will agree that for the most part we tended to elect people who were more of a showpiece than someone with an executive background to run the government.
So far, our government is barely surviving. As the situation stands now, we have no opportunity for grooming leaders and it is only at the pre-election activities that people jostling for positions emerge.
From hindsight, I can confidently say that that kind of free-for-all situation has not worked well for Navajo people and for our business partners generally.
Our problem is that we talk too much about good things but do little to get them achieved. If the executive and legislative branches dream of moving mountains tomorrow they must start by lifting small stones today. Democracy is expensive and once we've chosen it, we must ensure that we build the proper structures to sustain it.
Unfortunately, the bad blood between the executive and legislative leadership does not ensure any lasting relationship to provide for any major advancement in our government structure. What is sad is we (Navajo voters) have stood back and watched and allowed that relationship to sink into political darkness, and we have done so by continuing to elect people into offices that they know nothing about or have a desire to get better at once elected.
There are some mechanisms through which we can begin strengthening possible future leaders through internal training programs. First and foremost, we must make investments-pecuniary, facility and human resource - so that potential leaders could be supported in all ways possible in their development.
We need both of our tribal colleges, Diné College and Navajo Technical College, to step up to the plate. Navajo leaders need to call for a restructuring of standards - and perhaps outdated - principles that guide decision-making at both colleges to focus on Navajo leadership needs.
It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to refer to them as "Navajo's higher learning institutions" if we do not insure their focus includes an area of tribal leadership and management development.
One only needs to look at their curriculum and missing are degree programs Navajo needs for the future. We need programs explicitly tied to the post 21st century needs - green jobs, technology and bio-development, economic development and sustainability, tribal leadership and management, and government development. Instead we see too many outdated programs that contribute less to Navajo's development and plans for the future.
Considering the haphazard manner in which these decisions get made at each turn, one can say that they lack adequate provisions to encourage grooming. A consistent line of succession should be developed through this kind of training facility. Navajo voters will save themselves the trouble of having to deal with hitherto unknown but powerful elements who emerge from obscurity to buy Navajo people's conscience to become the leader, especially at election time.
Wallace Hanley
Window Rock, Ariz.
Wells Fargo charges outrageous overdraft fees
I would like to express my opinion about Wells Fargo banks and the outrageous fees charged.
Free checking is not free checking, when we have to pay hundreds of dollars for the unreliable services.
These banks intentionally bank on the fact that we'll overdraft our accounts, especially the elderly, as they don't know about the unfair policies of these greedy banks.
Wells Fargo received "bail out money" from our hard-earned tax dollars by the feds, and they don't even deserve it in the first place.
What about bailing out the small Navajo businesses that really need the money?
They pay their upper management millions of dollars and they did not even earn it!
While all the people on the lower part of the totem pole have to work hard everyday to earn a living.
Wells Fargo will overdraft your account even when there is only one cent, over the transactions limit, this is ridiculous!
Why don't they pay the one cent, instead of charging $35 overdraft fees? This is a good example of corporate greed and bad business policy.
The feds should have let these greedy banks go under, instead they help these big corporations use American tax dollars again.
The Navajo Nation attorney general needs to investigate this situation and maybe bring in some competition to give Wells Fargo a run for their money. Diné laws need to be established by our council delegates to control this corporate greed and get a handle on these crooks.
The Navajo Nation has the power to deal with these crooks, and enact laws to protect our hard-earned money, as Wells Fargo did not do anything to earn our money in the first place.
Wells Fargo will counterattack with written policy, that was written in very small print and will make all kinds of excuses to make us look like we don't know what we're talking about.
Please express your opinions to the AG of the Navajo Nation and file your complaints.
This complaint is not about the hard-working employees of our local banks, but about the CEOs of the upper management and their "coyote" policies.
These banks will say that we should open another savings account to cover the overdraft fees, and this also is a fraud.
We don't want to open more accounts to benefit corporate greed.
I say again "Free checking is not free checking." It's a fraud!
Adam Teller
Chinle, Ariz.
Bundle up your kids if they go to Leupp School
As a parent you put your trust into a school where your kids will be safe. Leupp School Inc. worries more about having their gym floor being damaged.
During those harsh windstorms our kids were not allowed to use the gym. Now with the freezing winter mornings still kids are not allowed to use they gym. They are forced to go outside to the playground and others have to huddle in groups to stay warm.
All the doors to the school are locked until 7:55 a.m. I have spoken to the secretary and the principal about this issue several times. They have opened the gym only twice this month. If you have your children attending LSI, please bundle them up.
Laverna White
Leupp, Ariz.
(Hometown: Grand Falls, Ariz.)
We should help the people of Haiti
There is a tragedy happening right now (the earthquake in Haiti). As people know there was a catastrophic natural disaster which left many injured or dead. People fear they will not find or see their loved ones again.
I read about people walking the streets looking under sheets trying to find relatives and friends. This is a very horrific thought. This is as damaging as the aftershocks of the quake. I would never want to be put in their shoes.
People are still being rescued as well. Time is a factor though. The people need as many supplies and as much help as they can get.
I know we are a small nation, I know these are hard times, but anything/something should be done on our part to help this other small nation in need. We can set up food and donation drives, we could even maybe send a few people as Navajo Nation ambassadors to help however they can. There are countless possibilities. I think our nation has the resources to help.
I hope everyone shares these feelings. Something must be done to help.
Bobby Mason
Tuba City, Ariz.
Housing problems fall on NHA's shoulders
There is no reason why any Diné should ever be evicted from their home ("Evicted; Officials scrambling for aid to evicted families," Jan. 7, 2010). Our Diné did not give up millions of acres of land so they could someday be evicted again.
This issue in Church Rock is beyond foolishness and is an injustice perpetrated by our own tribal government's sweetheart dealings. Anyone still thinking the 88 were doing a wonderful job take a good hard look.
President Shirley and his lame duck administration on the other hand could help those Church Rock homeless Diné and any other of our people needing homes. If his staff would keep their minds off of any ugly and silly revenge games, which serve to hurt only our innocent people.
Navajo Housing Authority appears to be at center of this injustice. NHA will of course be passing the buck as this fiasco unfolds. This is why we Diné need a government that can protect our peoples' rights, which includes having a home.
How long is it going to take for our government to start doing right for our people? Are we to expect more menacing fallout from the way our government has been operating in the past?
NHA - aren't they the organization that forgets to file for funding for grants and appropriated housing monies and have to be rescued or bailed out periodically either by the tribal or federal governments?
Or are they the ones who contract with unscrupulous non-Navajo contractors who have walked off with millions, leaving other millions unaccounted for? Are they the ones who can't find Navajo contractors to do housing construction work in the Diné Nation?
Are they the ones who need $85 million to construct seven houses in one year? Might they be the ones who pay their directions outrageous salaries and those directors retire to lavish multi-million dollar estates in metropolitan USA?
Are those the same directors who can lose nearly $50,000 at a casino table in a single night, using money given to them because they could give special favors to contractors wanting to do housing construction in the Diné Nation? Could this be the one and the same NHA? Does anyone know? Does anyone care?
NHA gets money up front to construct houses for our Diné. In other words, they have been paid. Yet, they turn around and make the Diné pay for that house again. NHA can find many ways to explain away this injustice and their lack of concern or involvement, but they can never justify injustice.
By cutting back of one or two unnecessary administrators in NHA's organization there would be more than enough money to take care of these Diné at Church Rock and their housing needs.
NHA needs to resolve this problem, it is their responsibility. After all, they have already been paid with our money to take care of our peoples' housing needs.
Wally Brown
Page, Ariz.
Thank you for successful Christmas food drive
Ya'ateeh my family and friends. The Christmas food drive was another annual success. In the simplicity of giving, many lives were touched. Bountiful food baskets were delivered to needy elderly families.
Seeing our grandparents break down and express their gratitude with tears was a humbling experience and a most precious one. Warm smiles and hugs were exchanged among families for their appreciation of those to have contributed in making it a memorable Christmas for them and their children.
The purpose of this benefit food drive was so many will acknowledge that they have a purpose in life, and that they are loved. All in all it was a worthwhile experience that one has to experience for one's self to truly comprehend the significance of how powerful the sanctity of giving.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to fulfill this purpose. Your genuine generosity encourages my ambition to strive selflessly in servanthood for our people.
With sincerity, on behalf of many needy families we have served, thank you for your generous contribution. Your good deeds will not go unrewarded. What we do for others is never forgotten.
Shaunda Tsosie
Project Coordinator
Police Athletic League
Window Rock, Ariz.
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