More than 700 Indian tribes, organizations and individuals have been invited to nominate individuals to serve as voting members on the Board of Trustees of the newly-established Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, a successor to the current Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Indian Affair's Ross Swimmer, soliciting nominations on behalf of President Reagan, said the 13 voting members of the board will be appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The authorizing legislation (Title XV, P.L, 99-498) signed by the President last year' requires that the board be selected “from among individuals from private life who are Indians, or other individuals, widely recognized in the field of Indian art and culture and who represent diverse political views.” The legislation also directs that due consideration be given to the appointment of individuals who will provide appropriate regional and tribal representation on the board and that the majority of member's be Indians."
“Nominations are being sought from a wide range of interested individuals and organizations,” Swimmer said. "All nominations will receive due consideration by a select screening committee which I will appoint."
Four of the 13 voting members of the board will be appointed for two-year terms of office; four for four-year terms; and five for six-year terms, as determined by the drawing of lots during the first meeting of the board. In addition, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate will appoint four of the six nonvoting members of the board. The president of the Institute and the president of the student body will make up the other two nonvoting members.
Requests for nomination forms should be addressed to: Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs, ATTN: Pat Keyes, IAIA Nominations, Mail stop 4160-MIB, 18th and C Sts. NW, Washington, D.C. 20240. Nominations must be postmarked by April 16.
