Tulsa World: Osage college grants in doubt

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Osage college grants in doubt
Some students are told to expect less of a scholarship than they were promised.

By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer
Published: 9/3/2009 3:19 AM
Last Modified: 9/3/2009 3:38 AM

PAWHUSKA — Nearly 200 students attending college on Osage Nation scholarships were told that they would receive less money, despite earlier promises that each student would receive $3,500.

Osage Nation Education Department officials have been contacted by angry and worried parents, as well as an unhappy tribal congressional education committee, after several students reported that scholarships were less than what had been promised. The claims prompted the committee to call an emergency meeting Wednesday.

After the tribe agreed to pay scholarships of $3,500 to students, the tribe last week notified schools that it would only pay for tuition, books and fees, and not for room and board for some students, said tribal Congressman William "Kugee" Supernaw.

About 400 students have been approved for financial aid from the tribe, but only a few more than 200 were getting the full amount of the scholarship, committee Chairman Doug Revard said.

Sheryl Hill, who was going to attend the Pawnee Nation College, found out after enrolling that she would not receive the full amount. If she doesn't get the scholarship, she might have to drop out, she said.

And even if it does come through, she's not confident that the money will arrive in time for her to make living arrangements because class already has begun.

"This should never have happened," Hill said. "I'm concerned. I'm very concerned about it. The ball was dropped."

The tribe cited an IRS rule regarding taxes on money used for college room and board in withholding the scholarships, Robert Hyatt, director of the Osage Nation Education Department, told the committee.

Hyatt said that because some money that is used for room and board could be taxable, it was about protecting the tribe and students from that tax, an assertion that some members of the Congress objected to, saying that the taxes would be the responsibility of the individual.

"Our position was it's always been taxable; it's nothing new," Supernaw said. "So why would you withhold the money from these students because they have to pay taxes on it? It didn't make any sense to us. I think any student would rather have the money and pay the tax rather than not have the money."

Hyatt said the department was waiting for authorization from Principal Chief Jim Gray to disburse the full payment of the scholarships.

He said he did not know when the letter would be sent. Another congressional meeting on the issue is set for 1 p.m. Wednesday.

"Are you confident that no one is going to get hurt between now and next week?" Supernaw asked.

"I would hate to say yes to that," Hyatt replied.

Revard said he is confident that all of the students who were told they would receive the $3,500 scholarship would get it, but he did not know when.

"From what I've heard today, every student that had been informed they have received a scholarship from us attending a higher education institution will receive the full amount of money," he said. "Now when they're going to receive that, I don't know exactly; that's the executive department's job to get that out as quickly as possible."

However, Revard said the question of who authorized only part of the scholarship money to be disbursed after the Congress had authorized it was still in question.

"We have not discovered where that came from," he said. "We don't know who made that decision."

Gray could be reached for comment Wednesday.

Clifton Adcock 581-8462
clifton.adcock@tulsaworld.com By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Nearly 200 students on Osage Nation scholarships told to expect less money," which was published on 9/2/2009.

	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (9/2/2009 8:50:23 PM) Focus on your studies, the rest will all work itself out.
	Report Comment shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (9/3/2009 7:23:52 AM) Just like the Osage's to run on Indian time to get this resolved.
	Report Comment Just1Man, (9/3/2009 7:42:48 AM) With all the profits from the casinos you would think they had enough money to pay the taxes for the kids as well. It's always the ones that need it the most that are hurt by some big shots decisions.
	Report Comment edssuzy, Skiatook (9/3/2009 9:16:51 AM) The Osage Tribe is making money hand over fist in the Casino business. They should hold off on expanding and contain expenses of the higher ups and invest more in their people. That goes for all the tribes, not just the Osage. This is a perfect example of TOO MANY CHIEFS AND NOT ENOUGH INDIANS! :}
	Report Comment tulsandn, out in the woods (9/3/2009 10:22:16 AM) I've never heard an educated white person refer to themselves as a "cracker" but I have heard uneducated ones' do it all the time.... Just like I've never heard an educated black man refer to himself as a "n-----" but the uneducated ones' say it all the time....
	Report Comment tulsandn, out in the woods (9/3/2009 10:25:10 AM) I wonder what the uneducated Osages will refer to themselves as....
	Report Comment Knowwhentofoldem, Tulsa (9/3/2009 12:25:59 PM) Tell it tulsadn. Sarge for the record...all races if qualified received financial aid, tuition assistance, loans,etc. I'm sure you've never needed any of those because they're used for education.
	Report Comment psychedelikrelik, Tulsa (9/3/2009 12:43:38 PM) What tulsandn and Knowwhentofoldem said. My daughter got called "cracker" when she was in the eighth grade. We still laugh about it.
	Report Comment native07, Pawhuska (9/4/2009 11:15:50 AM) this article totally misrepresents the facts of whats goin on... Being of the osage tribe I think they should do more further investigation on this and not twist the facts around to make a better story stick to the facts

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