Land Acknowledgment

The School of Social Welfare acknowledges that the University of Kansas occupies land that has been cared for by several tribal nations.  

This land acknowledgment recognizes that Indigenous people are traditional guardians of the land and that there is an enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and these traditional territories. Our School affirms, advocates for, and supports the sovereignty of the four-federally recognized tribes of Kansas, and the other 570 federally recognized nations in the U.S.​​ 

School of Social Welfare Actions 

The acknowledgment reminds us to continue our commitment to advocating for, and supporting Indigenous students, staff, and faculty while working towards decolonizing the systems of power and oppression. 

Current Actions of Commitment 

  • Courses added to the BSW and MSW curriculum to include topics on decolonizing social work, historical and intergenerational trauma, and working with Indigenous families. 

  • Hired Indigenous faculty member, bringing the total to two 

  • Dedicated Indigenous faculty member who provides opportunities for liaison and relationship building with Native communities 

  • Two Indigenous faculty members who provide mentorship to Indigenous students  

  • The establishment of the grant funded Kansas Serves Native American Families (KSNAF) program which provides family services to Indigenous families  

  • MSW application fee waivers provided to students from Haskell Indian Nations University 

  • Awards and scholarships for Native American MSW students 

  • Collaborates with Indigenous students, alumni, faculty and staff at KU and Haskell Indian Nations University 

  • Collaborates with KU Indigenous Studies Program to provide a pathway to MSW courses for those students interested in human services 

  • Collaborate with tribal colleges and university departments in event programming