Haskell Indian Nations University President Karen Swisher met with student leaders Tuesday to quash rumors the university would soon close.

“Haskell is not closing,” Swisher said. “Our budget is tight, and we are making some hard reviews, but we are not closing. I want to be very clear about that.”

¢ 6News video report: Rumors of closing quickly dispelled¢ haskellnews.ljworld.com

Swisher decided to address students after hearing the rumor early Monday evening during a walk across campus.

“I had a student ask me if we were going to have school next semester,” Swisher said. “And when I asked her why she thought we weren’t, she said all the students were talking about it.”

A short time later, Swisher and the student went to Winona Hall, where Swisher quickly confirmed the student’s assessment.

Swisher then decided to meet with the university’s student senate.

The rumor appeared rooted in reports that an unnamed faculty member had advised students to consider transferring to other schools because Haskell would soon close.

“We are looking into that,” Swisher said.

A Haskell student called the Journal-World late Tuesday morning, seeking confirmation the school was closing.

First known as the U.S. Indian Industrial Training School, Haskell opened its doors in 1884 intent on ridding American Indian students teenagers, mostly of their tribal identities en route to preparing them for off-reservation jobs.

Over the next 118 years, the training school evolved into a high school, a trade school, a junior college and, in 1993, a four-year college offering bachelor’s degrees in elementary education, business administration, environmental studies and American Indian studies.

Earlier this year, Haskell officials canceled summer school after learning the university’s 2002-03 budget would increase $150,000 though its fixed costs pay raises and health insurance premiums, mostly were expected to increase $300,000.

“Last year our operations budget was $9,050,000,” said Marvin Buzzard, vice president in charge of university services. “This year it’s $9,200,000 so we have more money; it’s just not enough to cover all of our costs.

“When that happens, you have to make adjustments, and that’s what we’re doing,” he said. “We’re not closing. In fact, I’ve not given up on having summer school next year.

“It may not be the summer school the students are used to the dorms may be open, for example, but maybe we won’t do food service,” he said. “These are the kinds of things we’re looking at.”

This summer, Haskell took steps to limit its enrollment, which, Buzzard said, might also have fed the rumor.

“Actually, that didn’t have anything to do with the budget,” Buzzard said, explaining that in years past, Haskell routinely accepted more students than it could handle because 20 to 25 percent either dropped out or didn’t show up.

But in recent years, Buzzard said, more students have come and fewer have dropped out.

“That’s why we reduced the number admitted,” Buzzard said. “And you know what? That’s a good thing.”

On Tuesday, Haskell had 879 students.