littlejohn333 Over the last several weeks, the University of South Dakota has been enforcing a new Board of Regents Policy (1.7.6) that limits what can be included in the email signature of a BOR employee. As a result of Policy 1.7.6, Native BOR employees cannot include their tribal affiliations in email signatures. On March 13th, I received a written warning for the violation of this policy in my email signature, and the only component that did not align with 1.7.6 was that I included Standing Rock Dakota - he.him.his. In this written warning, it was stated that if I did not take out my tribal affiliation and pronouns to comply with 1.7.6, 1 would face suspension from USD and then there would be a decision made about termination. It was verbally reiterated that these consequences had nothing to do with my work performance, only that I was in violation of 1.7.6 for including my tribal affiliation and my gender pronouns. In the written warning meeting with HR, I was informed that if I were suspended, 1 would not be allowed to attend the 12th Annual Native Alumni Dinner or 50th Annual USD Wacipi, both public events at a public university. Twice I was given verbal offers that if I removed my tribal affiliation - USD administrators would have a conversation with the Board of Regents about including tribal affiliations as an amendment to the policy for all Native BOR employees to include in email signatures. After consulting legal services, I made the difficult decision to remove my tribal affiliation and pronouns from my email signature. I have since placed both my tribal affiliation and pronouns in the body of each email that I send, which I have been told will not be challenged (at least for now) by USD administrators or the BOR. I am saddened that the BOR continues the erasure of Native people in the state of South Dakota. I am deeply disappointed in the University of South Dakota. This is an institution that I have sacrificed time and energy to support, while simultaneously they did not hesitate to provide me with a permanent written letter to my record and with the threat of termination for using my
tribal affiliation and pronouns in my signature.