The University of Minnesota is actively working to build respectful, reciprocal and meaningful relationships with Tribal communities across the state. Recognizing the need for authentic engagement and collaboration, staff and faculty are continually developing new approaches rooted in listening, learning and shared value creation.

On the Twin Cities campus, a key initiative to building capacity for this work is the Tribal Liaisons Community of Practice. These liaisons from various colleges and units work to map the landscape of departmental activities with Tribes—whether in research, partnerships, or service—by organizing engagement efforts by discipline, enabling each academic area to connect with Tribes in ways that are relevant and mutually beneficial while building the University’s capacity to nurture these relationships.

For Karen Diver, senior advisor to the University’s president for Native American affairs, an important guiding question has been: “How do we organize ourselves so we are not a burden to Tribes?” University leaders are acknowledging the need to shift away from institution-centric practices to foster approaches that truly honor Tribal sovereignty and priorities.

The journey 

Community of Practice members first took the Tribal-University Relations Training for an introduction to the relationships between the University and Native nations.

Next, they laid the groundwork for proper consultation by investigating past meetings with Tribal members and exploring their hopes for the future, emphasizing the need to move beyond a “check-the-box” mentality and embrace consultation as an ongoing, relational process. 

“That’s been a common criticism from Tribes,” says Diver. “But we’re aiming to change the standard to listening, learning, adjusting and being a value add.” 

These conversations are currently being shaped into new consultation guidelines that will be further developed in the coming semester. Similar to the University of Minnesota Guidelines for Indigenous Research, these guidelines will focus on embedding a community-engaged scholarship approach to University-Tribal partnerships, ensuring that research and academic initiatives enhance Tribal communities. 

“It's part of the values that I think most folks at the University would say, yes, we want to be good neighbors,” says Hannah Johnson, program manager in the Office of Native American Affairs. “We want to use best practices when we're researching and be courteous in the ways we interact. Making that explicit instead of implicit ideas for interacting with people is the goal.” 

Once guidelines are established, the community of practice will focus on formalizing proactive outreach to Tribes. For example, teams from the health sciences are seeking to connect with Tribal designees who focus on health for discipline-matched and relevant collaborations.

The ultimate goal is to form regular, ongoing relationships — where University representatives connect with Tribal nations periodically, even if there’s nothing specific to ask. This enables open dialogue about Tribal priorities and research gaps, positioning the University as a responsive partner that supports Tribal self-governance.

“The University of Minnesota is proud of having those who graduate from here come from Minnesota and want to stay in Minnesota,” says Diver. “That dovetails perfectly with what Tribal leaders say they need in terms of developing their own workforce and communities and meeting their needs.”