MSU Extension launching webinar series as part of Building Strong Sovereign Nations program

Three-part webinar series, face-to-face training session is specifically designed for Michigan tribal leaders.

Michigan State University Extension will launch a three-part webinar series as part of its 2013 Building Strong Sovereign Nations program. Viewing sites for the webinars are being provided by tribal partners in several locations around the state. The topics identified for this initial series include: Benchmarking: What does this mean for Michigan Tribal Government (held May 30); People, Places, and Placemaking (July 11); and Drafting Tribal Law (Aug. 8).

While Michigan State University Extension has offered governance training programs for newly elected county commissioners and land use education for local planning & zoning officials for many years, it didn’t focus on tribal governance until 2009.

With tribal leaders in Michigan, MSU Extension worked together with the MSU Native American Institute and MSU Indigenous Law & Policy Center to develop the Building Strong Sovereign Nations program.

Key topics were identified and 10 modules that addressed issues of importance to Michigan tribes were developed and eventually the program launched in 2009. In 2011 and 2012 rather than the intensive two-day format of earlier years, the training was offered as a half-day workshop in conjunction with the fall meeting of United Tribes of Michigan.

In appreciation of travel budget and time constraints, the Building Strong Sovereign Nations program will again offer a face-to-face half-day workshop in conjunction with the fall 2013 United Tribes of Michigan meeting with the additional webinar series.

The Building Strong Sovereign Nations program is only one part of an on-going effort to build strong collaborative relationships with tribal nations of Michigan while increasing tribal access to both MSU resources and statewide networks.

Registration for the free webinars is open. Register online and learn more about the program, including a list of viewing locations, at http:events.anr.msu.edu/TribalGovernanceWebinars.

For more information on the webinar series and the Building Strong Sovereign Nations program, contact MSU Extension educators Emily Proctor at 231-439-892 proctor8@anr.msu.edu or Brad Neumann at 906-475-5731 neuman36@anr.msu.edu.  

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