After a one-year hiatus, summer classes have returned to Haskell Indian Nations University.

“We’re right at 122 students,” Haskell registrar Manny King said Wednesday. “With a few stragglers, we’ll probably reach 130.”

Budget constraints forced the university to cancel its summer offerings last year. To cut costs this year:

• Fewer courses are being offered.
• The cafeteria is open for two meals a day instead of three.
• The cafeteria will be closed on weekends. Two years ago it was open seven days a week.

Danielle Harjo, Lawrence, passes through Haskell Indian Nation University's campus. Haskell started its first day of summer classes Wednesday.

“We’re doing what we can with what we have,” said Karen Gillis, dean of students at Haskell. “There’s been a lot of tightening of belts.”

For its 2001 summer session, Haskell offered 72 classes. This year, it’s offering 29.

Also, most of this year’s classes are upper-level courses aimed at helping juniors and seniors graduate on schedule.

“We’ve had to discourage freshmen from taking class this summer because we’re not set up for that,” King said. “This is really for the students who are in the process of finishing up.”

Corina Nez, a senior from Window Rock, Ariz., jumped at the chance to spend the summer at Haskell.

“They didn’t have it last year, and I went home, but there wasn’t much for me to do,” Nez said. “This year I’m going to school, and I get to work.”

Classes started Wednesday. Most will end July 10. Fall semester classes begin Aug. 20.

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