Bill Clinton: “Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Administrative Systems Act of 1998 October 31, 1998 Today I am signing into…”

“Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Administrative Systems Act of 1998 October 31, 1998 Today I am signing into law H.R. 4259, the ``Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Administrative Systems Act of 1998.'' Haskell Indian Nations University (Haskell) and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) are the only Federally owned and operated schools in the United States dedicated to higher education for American Indians. Together they have provided thousands of American Indians valuable educational opportunities. This Act will broaden and increase those opportunities by assisting both institutions in their ongoing efforts to attract and retain highly qualified administrators, faculty, and staff. The Act authorizes Haskell and SIPI each to conduct a 5-year demonstration project to test the feasibility and desirability of alternative personnel management systems designed to meet the special staffing circumstances in a college and university setting. Currently, Haskell and SIPI operate under the same civil service personnel system as most other Federal agencies. The demonstration projects authorized by H.R. 4259 will provide these schools flexibility to test personnel reforms in areas such as recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, discipline, promotion, and benefits.…”