Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 7 and Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas have signed a new agreement that offers benefits to both. KMUW’s Carla Eckels reports…
The agreement provides an extension of a successful partnership between Haskell and the EPA that dates back to 1999. EPA spokesperson Chris Whitley says there are several areas of cooperation including faculty research participation, student internships and employment at the agency.
"The university is contemplating ways that it can become more environmentally sustainable and our staff is working with them on that," he says. "We can provide staff for mini-courses and lectures. We also have the ability through this agreement to donate some of our surplus scientific equipment to the university."
Whitley says Haskell is a unique institution with enrollment of about 1,000 students.
"And those students come from literally from all over the United States and they represent a wide diversity of Native American tribes," he says. "It really fills a unique roll in preparing those students for careers in the future."
The latest signed agreement provides mutual benefits for the university and agency for the next five years.
