The University of Utah and the Ute Indian Tribe renewed a memorandum of understanding on Aug. 28, reaffirming a decades-long partnership. The agreement allows the university's sports teams to continue using the name Utes and establishes new commitments regarding education and healthcare.
Under the new memorandum of understanding, the Ute Indian Scholarship will feature a revised structure. Students may now receive $6,000 per semester, totaling up to $18,000 per year, with funds applied directly to tuition. While a letter from the Ute Tribal Business Committee is required, scholarship eligibility will no longer be determined exclusively by Ute Tribe membership. The university's Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will provide the Tribal Education Department with anonymized reports regarding scholarship awards.
The university committed $100,000 annually to support tribal education programs, reaching up to $500,000 over the five-year term. Additionally, U of U Health will conduct up to three annual visits to the Ute Indian Reservation in the Uinta Basin using mobile clinics, including the Wellness Bus, Mobile Cancer Screening Clinic, and Mobile Dental Clinic. The university also pledged to continue the Ute Proud campaign, which focuses on educating fans about appropriate behavior regarding Native American populations.
The formal partnership between the university and the tribe dates back to 1972. The university's use of the Utes name has been supported by the tribe since the 1970s. This partnership includes various cultural engagement efforts such as the annual Pow Wow and the Center for Native Excellence and Tribal Engagement.
