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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE & MISSION STATEMENT
Greetings!
On July 1, 2007, I became IAIA’s new President. I am excited to be a part of the IAIA community and look forward to collaborating with you to build on IAIA’s rich history and powerful mission: educating Native American artists. IAIA is a federally chartered institution that provides higher education in Native American arts and cultures through fully accredited associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs. Located on 140 scenic acres on the southern edge of Santa Fe, the IAIA campus offers wide vistas and excellent facilities. The IAIA Museum in downtown Santa Fe is home to the 7,000-piece National Collection of Contemporary Indian Art and showcases the work of Native artists. However, IAIA’s greatest strength is our multi-tribal student body, representing more than 140 tribes. Each student brings to campus a distinct tribal history and culture, thereby enriching programs and activities for us all. Our acclaimed Learning Support Center enhances student life and success by incorporating Native cultures and traditions into its programming. Priorities for the coming year include increasing enrollment and boosting funding for student scholarships. Even though we provide financial aid for most of our students, $300,000 in unmet need remains, and that gap will grow along with enrollment. An obstacle to expanding student enrollment has been limited residential capacity. The high cost of housing in the Santa Fe area means that most of our students cannot afford to live off campus. Construction of a new residence hall, scheduled for occupancy in January 2008, will double capacity and lead to higher enrollments. A multipurpose student building is next on the construction priority list, followed by a performing arts center. We are currently fundraising for these projects. IAIA will continue to strengthen our baccalaureate programs and improve our technology infrastructure to offer distance education to tribes locally and nationally. By fostering staff and leadership development at the IAIA Museum, we will promote outstanding exhibitions and educational programs that deepen our understanding of contemporary Native art. We are committed to expanding the Center for Lifelong Education, which provides outreach, technical services, extended education and cultural exchanges with Indigenous peoples and tribes in New Mexico and the world. The IAIA story is extremely compelling. I ask you to consider attending IAIA or join with me in supporting our vision, mission, programs and Native American students with your interest, time, resources and good will. Dr. Robert Martin,
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