Parker, Alan

The Evergreen State College-Master's in Public Administration-Tribal Concentration Program began in 2002. Classes meet Friday evenings, all day Saturday and Sunday intensive weekend formats. Students take two years of Core courses (4 hours/quarter) typically with their cohort and 36 hours of electives, culminating in a 4 hour Capstone (or optional thesis). A new cohort is admitted into the program every other year, producing a graduating cohort biennially. Course work emphasizes the study of collaboration in intergovernmental relations and policy analysis within the field of public administration. Particular focus of this program is on the context of tribal administration and governance. The range of studies includes the important role of non-profits, political and social structures that affect administrative decision-making. The program is broadly conceived within the range of intergovernmental studies, local, tribal, regional, national, and international levels of its political and economic context. Faculty members Linda Moon Stumpff and Alan Parker were instrumental in starting the program during the period of Provost Barbara Leigh Smith's tenure.

In 2004, the first graduating class for the MPA-Tribal Concentration program track joined the commencement ceremony activities along with the general cohort.

From the guide to the Academic Affairs. Graduate Programs. Masters in Public Adminsitration-Tribal Concentration Program., 1999-2005, 1980-2013, (The Evergreen State College Archives and Special Collections)

Established September 1999 the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI) worked in collaboration with Indian leaders, public agencies, educators, students and community groups to assist tribes towards meeting their goals as it related to cultural revitalization, resource management, economic sustainability, tribal governance and tribal administration. The institute worked to develop curricula on the Northwest Tribes which matches the Essential Learning Requirements for Washington State History and Social Studies passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2005. NIARI offered educational resources, culturally responsive curricula for secondary schools, and research assistance.

NAIRA expanded its’ services that the college can offer the tribes, enabling Evergreen to assist local tribes to meet their economic, governance and resource goals. At the same time, the Institute provided additional, real-life learning opportunities for Evergreen students. The Institute has engaged in designing and conducting research projects, workshops, symposia, and conferences on Indian issues in the following programmatic areas: Cultural Revitalization, Governance, Natural Resource Management, and Economic Sustainability.This Public Service Center ended its existence in 2012.

From the guide to the Academic Affairs. Provost. Public Service Centers. Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute (NIARI), 1999-2012, (The Evergreen State College Archives and Special Collections)