Haskell Indian Nations University’s budget should not be hurting – not when its student body has ties to more than 150 tribes, each of which could be pressuring their congressmen for increased federal support.

But few tribes lobby Congress. If they do, it’s usually about casinos. Education issues end up on the back burner.

“We need to do a better job,” said Ryan Wilson, president of the National Indian Education Assn.

Haskell officials recently learned the school’s classroom budget had been cut by $238,000 and its maintenance budget by more than $600,000.

Wilson met Tuesday with a small group of university faculty, staff and students and representatives of the Kickapoo and Prairie Band Potawatomi tribes.

“I understand you have students here from Alaska,” Wilson said. “Have any of them or their tribes contacted (U.S.) Sen. (Ted) Stevens’ office and said, ‘Hey, quit messing around with Haskell’?”

Ryan Wilson, president of the National Indian Education Assn., greets Alexis Mendez, a Haskell Indian Nations University junior from Fort Ducheson, Utah, after Wilson spoke to members of the Oyate Club, which includes Lakota, Dakota and Nakota tribal members. Wilson also spoke Tuesday at Haskell's spring convocation.

No one in the group answered. As the Senate’s fourth-most senior member, Stevens, a Republican, wields considerable power.

Federal law prevents Haskell employees from lobbying Congress, but there’s nothing to stop tribes from sending delegations of students to Washington to meet with their representatives.

Wilson said NIEA hopes to improve lobbying efforts on behalf of American Indian education.

Haskell students, he said, should expect to offset some of the university’s costs through fee increases.

Wilson later addressed Haskell’s spring convocation.