Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act

Summary

Creates Haskell Indian Nations University as a federally chartered, independent university run by a 16-member Board of Trustees and led by a Board‑appointed President. The university will be tuition‑free for eligible Indian students, have authority over its personnel (outside most civil service rules), be tax-exempt, receive a minimum level of federal funding each year, and operate a federally insured trust/endowment with matched private fundraising. The law transfers property and functions from the legacy institution, sets governance, fiduciary, and reporting rules (including annual reports, facilities master plans, and audits), allows tribal‑member admission and hiring preferences, and makes the university subject to certain federal laws (religious freedom, archaeological protections, and federal criminal laws for misuse of funds). It also defines board powers, limits on political activity, funding floor and timing, and accountability requirements for employee health and retirement contributions.

• Creates Haskell Indian Nations University as an independent, federally chartered corporation governed by a 16‑member Board of Trustees.
• Board‑appointed President runs the university, with authority over hiring and operations and limited application of Title 5 civil service rules for future hires.
• University may limit admissions to Tribal members/descendants or those with Bureau of Indian Affairs CDIB documentation and may give hiring/contracting preference to Tribal members.
• University and its assets are tax‑exempt; the University is treated like a Federal agency for tort liability under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
• Establishes a federally insured trust/endowment with matching rules tied to private fundraising and creates an independent Endowment Board to manage investments.
• Authorizes a minimum annual discretionary appropriation floor of $27 million and requires an initial $5 million trust capital contribution with recurring minimums.
• Transfers legacy institution property and functions to the new University, designates Lawrence, Kansas as the permanent campus, and requires a facilities master plan.
• Requires annual financial and operational reporting to Congress, OMB review of budgets, and DOI Inspector General audits on employee benefit contribution compliance.
• Imposes fiduciary duties on Board members, prohibits political campaign activity, and mandates separate accounting for Federal and non‑Federal funds.
• Allocates transitional liabilities and preserves certain employee benefits for transferred federal staff, while limiting retroactive U.S. monetary recovery for past events.