University of Arizona faculty say administrator causing severe harm to Native students

After several Native students at the University of Arizona expressed their concerns about student safety regarding an assistant vice provost, multiple Native faculty members are calling for immediate action from university leadership to ensure that Indigenous students receive the support they need for success.

The Native American Faculty Group wrote in a letter to UofA President Dr. Suresh Garimella and other top administrators that “Tessa L. Dysart is actively causing and has caused severe harm to the UA Native American community” since she was appointed assistant vice provost for the Office of Native American Initiatives (NAI) in 2024.

Six Native faculty members wrote that students have approached them since the fall of 2024 to voice their concerns about their safety on campus. 

“In our culture, we allow our children to speak, and we listen,” the group wrote.

The faculty members who signed and sent the letter include Karletta Chief (Diné), Andrew Curley (Diné), Stephanie Russo Carroll (Ahtna-Native Village of Kluti-Kaah), Jameson D. Lopez (Quechan), Sheilah E. Nicholas (Hopi) and Valerie Shirley (Diné).

As professors, they said that they have witnessed “disturbing events” that do not align with leading protocols to support Indigenous students in higher education.

The letter outlines the concerns raised by students since Dysart took office, including her lack of support for student-led academic work on the Land Back movement, community panels and discussions, and her physical attempt to silence a student during the Tribal Leaders Summit. 

Nearly 100 people — some faculty, some students, some alumni — have signed onto the letter to back the faculty calling on the university to remove Dysart as assistant vice provost. 

“We find Dysart’s actions to be unprofessional, misaligned with the interests of students, and, at times, clear attempts at intimidation — behavior that is unbecoming of a senior administrator who claims to advocate for Native American students,” the letter states.

Several Native students and staff have shared with the faculty group how Dysart is “sowing harm, district and division within the UA Native community.”

Dysart lacks the qualifications to be the assistant vice provost, according to the faculty group, because she has never worked with Native American student admissions, retention or service programs in higher education, nor has she published any work related to Native American student retention or advancement.

During Dysart’s interview process, the faculty group alleged that she claimed to have longstanding relationships with Native law students, but they had consistently heard otherwise from the Native law community.

“Dysart’s portrayal of her experience is misleading,” they wrote, adding that she has worked at UofA since 2017 but only became involved with the Native Faculty Group within the past three years. 

Dysart has no prior connection with the Native American communities at UA, in Tucson, Arizona or the Southwest, according to the faculty group.

The faculty group also expressed concerns about leaders in the Native American Advancement and Tribal Engagement (NAATE) office, including Levi Esquerra and Kari McCormick. 

Due to the ongoing concerns involving NAI and NAATE leadership, the faculty group said they cannot in “good faith” recommend UofA to Indigenous students. 

The group wrote that they would rather refer Indigenous students to Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University due to the well-qualified administrators running their Native American initiatives.

Dysart lacks the stellar reputation and qualifications of the Native Higher Administrators at ASU or NAU, according to the faculty group, and she does not possess the qualifications of many researchers in Native American education.

“Dysart earns $167,116 per year, yet there is no accountability, review, or annual reports showing her performance serving Native American faculty and staff,” the letter states. “We have no confidence in Tessa Dysart.”

The Arizona Mirror reached out to UofA and Dysart for comment, but did not receive a response. 

As part of the letter, the faculty group shared their disappointment in the consolidation of the Native American Student Affairs cultural center and the termination of its director, Julian Juan.

Under Juan’s leadership, the faculty group said that the Indigenous community at the University of Arizona has had only positive experiences. 

“As a tight-knit community, we have consistently witnessed Juan’s advocacy in fostering a safe and supportive space at NASA even as Dysart, Esquerra and McCormick contribute to a climate of hostility,” the letter said, noting that Juan is one of only three Tohono O’odham directors in the history of Native American Student Affairs, which is commonly referred to as NASA. 

“In contrast to Dysart, Juan has deep connections and experience with tribal leaders and the local community,” the faculty wrote. “Juan understands the importance of creating culturally appropriate programs and activities that create a sense of belonging for Native American students struggling to find their place and belonging within the Wildcat community.”

UofA fired Juan on May 27. The university wrote in his termination letter that he failed to fulfill his duties as director. 

The faculty group expressed appreciation that NASA will continue to exist, but they “adamantly oppose” moving it under Dysart’s supervision at NAI, citing students’ consistent concerns about their safety around her and her limited experience in student affairs.

The faculty group is calling on Patricia Prelock, the new provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at UofA, to return NASA under the office of the provost, remove Dysart, reinstate Juan, reopen the NAI assistant vice provost position, create a Native American Faculty Council and maintain the Native American Community Council. 

“As members of sovereign tribal nations that have nation-to-nation relationships with the United States federal government, we ask you to respect our sovereignty and fulfill our requests,” they said.