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SALT LAKE CITY — Southern Utah University has announced it will waive tuition for members of Utah's eight federally recognized tribes.
The waiver is an effort to attract and retain more Native Americans, who have historically had lower enrollment and graduation rates.
SUU is seeing those gaps firsthand. Although 450 Native American students had been admitted to the university as of October 2022, only 84 are currently enrolled.
"We are thrilled to offer this tuition waiver to current and future Native American students," Southern Utah University President Mindy Benson said in a press release. "We want our students to experience the transformative power of higher education and pursue their degrees at SUU without financial barriers. I appreciate the collaboration with SUU's current Indigenous students and dedicated staff who assisted in the development of this opportunity and continue to create meaningful relationships and partnerships with Native communities."
The University of Utah became the first in the state to announce such a waiver last summer, but similar initiatives have been seen at other U.S. universities. SUU's waiver is renewable for up to eight semesters.
"This award is an important way to put investment behind our goal of serving our local and surrounding Indigenous community who we know face barriers to start and to finish their education," Daneka Souberbielle, SUU chief diversity officer, said in a press release. "Even though this may not address all of the financial barriers our Native American students face, it's a critical starting point for us to be intentional about our commitment to support current and potential Indigenous students. "
More information can be found at SUU's financial aid office website.
