WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren is ensuring both Diné College and Navajo Technical University receive all of the funding they have been promised by the Navajo Nation.
Diné College and NTU have been operating on a shortfall because of not receiving their full appropriation from the Navajo Nation since 2021.
On Sept. 28, Nygren told NTU President Elmer Guy and Diné College President Charles Roessel that he would commit to sign new legislation that would correct a pandemic-era deficit for the two schools.
The funding is part of the annual budget process for the Diné Higher Education Grant Fund, a trust fund established by the Navajo Nation.
“If this legislation comes before me I will be happy to sign it,” Nygren said.
In October 2020, a continuing resolution for government funding passed by the Navajo Nation Council was not fully implemented. To cover the deficit, the schools had to move funding to cover costs and were flagged by their auditors.
NTU receives $4.2 million and Dine College receives $4.7 million in educational funding from the Navajo Nation.
Diné College is facing a $3.2 million shortfall and NTU is facing a shortage of $2 million.
Both schools have construction projects that are at a standstill because of the gap in funding, the two presidents told Nygren.
“We have construction that was supposed to take six months,” Dr. Roessel said. “Now it’s been a year so we will have to bus students from Tsaile to Shiprock in order for them to go to classes.”
Diné College and NTU educate thousands of Navajo students each year. Diné College had 1,552 enrolled students for the 2022/23 academic year. NTU had 1,354 students for the same period.
“Keeping students on schedule is very important,” Dr. Guy said. “Many of them use Pell Grants to fund their education, and they get only 12 semesters. Many of them run out.”
The college presidents expressed an additional concern of a looming federal shutdown that may set these schools back even further.
Nygren expects to see legislation at a special session.
Information from the Office of the Navajo Nation President
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren is ensuring both Diné College and Navajo Technical University receive all of the funding they have been promised by the Navajo Nation.
Diné College and NTU have been operating on a shortfall because of not receiving their full appropriation from the Navajo Nation since 2021.
On Sept. 28, Nygren told NTU President Elmer Guy and Diné College President Charles Roessel that he would commit to sign new legislation that would correct a pandemic-era deficit for the two schools.
The funding is part of the annual budget process for the Diné Higher Education Grant Fund, a trust fund established by the Navajo Nation.
“If this legislation comes before me I will be happy to sign it,” Nygren said.
In October 2020, a continuing resolution for government funding passed by the Navajo Nation Council was not fully implemented. To cover the deficit, the schools had to move funding to cover costs and were flagged by their auditors.
NTU receives $4.2 million and Dine College receives $4.7 million in educational funding from the Navajo Nation.
Diné College is facing a $3.2 million shortfall and NTU is facing a shortage of $2 million.
Both schools have construction projects that are at a standstill because of the gap in funding, the two presidents told Nygren.
“We have construction that was supposed to take six months,” Dr. Roessel said. “Now it’s been a year so we will have to bus students from Tsaile to Shiprock in order for them to go to classes.”
Diné College and NTU educate thousands of Navajo students each year. Diné College had 1,552 enrolled students for the 2022/23 academic year. NTU had 1,354 students for the same period.
“Keeping students on schedule is very important,” Dr. Guy said. “Many of them use Pell Grants to fund their education, and they get only 12 semesters. Many of them run out.”
The college presidents expressed an additional concern of a looming federal shutdown that may set these schools back even further.
Nygren expects to see legislation at a special session.
Information from the Office of the Navajo Nation President