"The Dakota Access Pipeline is an imminent threat to those living on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, as well as those who live near the pipeline and rely on water from the Missouri River. The pipeline is a dangerous, grave risk to primary water source and would be an environmental assault on the community if a spill were to occur. Energy Transfer Partners has assured the people of Standing Rock that the pipeline would be closely monitored, but given the historical relations between Indigenous peoples and the United States, the tribe has little faith that their safety and interests will be upheld. The record on spillage is bleak. In 2012-2013, there were 300 oil pipeline breaks in North Dakota alone. The pipeline will also disturb burial grounds and sacred sites on the tribe's ancestral treaty lands--its proposal marks violation on multiple fronts."
As a community of faculty and student scholar-practitioners at Fielding Graduate University addressing personal, organizational, societal, ecological, and global concerns in pursuit of a more just and sustainable world, standing in solidary with the people of Standing Rock is entirely in keeping with our vision and values. Moreover, Fielding students, alums, and faculty include members of various Indigenous communities who work actively for the preservation and recuperation of Native American culture, language, and values. We believe our University's stated commitment to social and ecological justice and to addressing the injustices perpetrated on marginalized people, alongside its commitment to serving American Indians, warrant our position.
We recognize that mobilizations and organizing such as Standing Rock are happening around the globe, with Indigenous Peoples and their allies often on the front lines. We, as members of a global community, understand the deep global interconnectedness of human and natural life and our destiny.
We stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all those who struggle against the imposition of "development" projects and other practices that harm land and life in all its forms.
Sincerely,
Anna DiStefano, Faculty
Senate Leadership Committee
Anthony"F."Greene", Faculty
Senate Leadership Committee
April Harris-Britt", Faculty
Senate Leadership Committee
Barbara Mink", Program Director
Academic Leadership Team
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