Senate Resolution 1920-02R
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY AND PROMOTE CAMPUS
EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Introduced by: University Life Council
Date: February 19, 2020
RATIONALE:
Whereas as university educators we feel duty-bound to teach and foster understanding of
United States history in ways that fully acknowledge, explore and attend to its irresolvable
complexities, contradictions, achievements, and horrors; and
Whereas in view of this duty, education on and recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day needs
to be added to the University at Albany academic calendar on the second Monday of October
while continued education efforts are encouraged at the University at Albany; and
Whereas recent faculty/student/staff collaborations organized by the Institute for Global
Indigeneity, the Native American Social Justice Project (2019), members of the Department of
Anthropology, Intercultural Student Affairs, and the Office of Sustainability provided excellent
models for growing education initiatives, curriculum innovation and dialogue related to and
with Indigenous Peoples; and
Whereas in 1977 the International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous
Populations in the Americas began discussing the replacement of Columbus Day with
Indigenous Peoples’ Day; and
Whereas there is growing recognition in the United States that the celebration of Columbus’s
so called “discovery of America” presents a version of history that tends to deny that native
nations were already here and that their lives were irrevocably and negatively impacted by the
arrival of the first European immigrants to the Americas; and
Whereas since 1992 more than 58 municipalities in several states including Minnesota, Alaska,
Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont,
Wisconsin have chosen to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and some have opted to remove
Columbus Day; and
Whereas in New York State there are eight federally recognized Native American tribes; and
Whereas many of our SUNY campuses occupy land once primarily inhabited by the
Haudenosaunee peoples as well as the Mohican peoples1; and
Whereas SUNY is committed to creating campus communities that are inclusive, diverse and
representative of all people, and such communities have a vital interest in knowledge of and
dialogue with Indigenous peoples; and
Whereas SUNY campuses have recognized the importance of this matter and have passed
resolutions supporting an “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” and no longer list Columbus Day on their
academic calendars; and
Whereas the Student Assembly of SUNY unanimously passed resolution 1516-115, “Indigenous
Peoples’ Day” on April 16, 2016; and
Whereas the SUNY University Faculty Senate passed a resolution in October 2017 to recognize
the Second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the 177th Plenary at SUNY Delhi:
RESOLUTION:
Therefore Let It Be Resolved that the University Senate at the University at Albany endorses
the SUNY Student Assembly resolution 1516-115, “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”, as well as the
SUNY University Faculty Senate 2017 resolution; and
Be It Further Resolved that SUNY faculty, staff and administration are encouraged to engage in
sustained and meaningful discussions with Indigenous Peoples to further SUNY’s commitment
to diversity, equity, sustainability and inclusion as stated in the Board of Trustees resolution of
September 10th 2015; and
Be It Further Resolved that SUNY Albany administration, faculty and staff are encouraged to
thoughtfully and openly acknowledge that campus activities are taking place on Indigenous
lands in classrooms, curriculum materials, syllabi, conferences, symposia, and public events2;
and
Be It Further Resolved that the Senate Chairs advise University at Albany administration of
Senate recommendation to add Indigenous Peoples’ Day to the academic calendar on the
second Monday of October and that the University at Albany President, their Executive Council
and the University at Albany Senate Councils work together to promote education and relevant
events that respect Indigenous Peoples.
1 Masters, E. (2017, Sept. 11). Native American origin of Capital Region nomenclature. Times Union. Link.
2 A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement. https://nativegov.org/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-
acknowledgment/?fbclid=IwAR2XZ8Q78x4t2qDqPQpsxOq_8BcLUbUxfa7__AlUgAXN9l-T3EFV_DZY7tE
