NIEA Constitution & Bylaws Listening Sessions

Help Shape the Future of NIEA Governance and Regional Representation

The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) invites the NIEA community to participate in upcoming virtual Listening Sessions regarding proposed Constitution and Bylaws changes related to NIEA Board regional representation and governance structure.

These proposed changes are intended to strengthen equitable regional representation, address geographic and Native population discrepancies across current regions, and ensure NIEA’s governance structure continues to reflect and serve Native communities nationwide.

Community voice and participation are important in this process. These Listening Sessions are an opportunity to learn more about the proposed concepts, ask questions, share feedback, and help inform the path forward.

Proposed changes will ultimately be voted on by NIEA members during the Annual Convention.

About the Proposed Changes

NIEA is reviewing proposed updates to its Constitution and Bylaws related to Board regional representation and governance structure. The proposed changes are intended to help ensure that NIEA’s Board structure continues to reflect the communities, regions, and Native populations it serves.

The proposed concepts focus on:

  • Strengthening equitable regional representation

  • Addressing geographic and Native population discrepancies across current regions

  • Supporting a governance structure that reflects Native communities nationwide

  • Ensuring NIEA members have opportunities to review, discuss, and provide feedback before proposed changes are considered for a vote

These Listening Sessions are part of NIEA’s commitment to transparency, member engagement, and thoughtful governance.

Current & Proposed Regional Representation Maps

To support community review and discussion, NIEA has provided visual reference maps outlining the current regional structure and proposed regional representation concepts.

These maps are intended to help community members better understand the discussions that will take place during the Listening Sessions.

 

Current Regional Map

Proposed Changes to Regional Map

Maps are provided for discussion purposes only. Proposed changes will ultimately be voted on by NIEA members during the Annual Convention.

What Will Be Discussed?

Listening Sessions will include discussion around:

  • Board regional representation

  • Governance structure considerations

  • Community feedback and questions

  • Proposed Constitution & Bylaws concepts

  • Next steps leading into Convention

These sessions are intended to provide space for open discussion, questions, and community engagement.

Attend a Listening Session

To help accommodate different time zones and schedules, NIEA will host three virtual Listening Sessions. Participants only need to attend one session.

Please select the session that works best for your schedule.

Monday, May 18 at 1:00 PM EST

Register here for the May 18 Listening Session

Tuesday, May 19 at 5:00 PM EST

Register here for the May 19 Listening Session

Thursday, May 21 at 7:00 PM EST

Register here for the May 21 Listening Session

Review the Current Constitution & Bylaws

Before attending a Listening Session, participants are encouraged to review the current NIEA Constitution and Bylaws language related to Board representation and governance.

Review Current Constitution & Bylaws

This document is provided to support community review and discussion ahead of the Listening Sessions and member voting during the Annual Convention.

Share Written Feedback

Unable to attend a Listening Session? Written comments and feedback may also be submitted for review.

Submit Written Feedback Here

What Happens Next?

Feedback gathered through the Listening Sessions and written comments will help inform the discussion around proposed Constitution and Bylaws changes.

Following this engagement process, proposed changes will be brought before NIEA members for consideration and vote during the Annual Convention.

Your Voice Matters

NIEA’s governance structure should reflect and serve Native communities nationwide. We encourage the NIEA community to review the proposed concepts, participate in discussion, and help shape the future representation and governance of NIEA.

Your voice matters. Your participation matters.