CADEN HAYNOR / NEWS EDITOR

CONNOR DUFFEY / ASST. NEWS EDITOR

USD’s tribal liaison position is vacant as of Sept. 2025. The former Tribal Liaison left the office, which is housed within the Center for Cultural Development. 

The USD Vista contacted a USD Public Affairs representative and the Office of Tribal Liaison, inquiring on the absence of a liaison and the reason for that absence. The Public Affairs team gave the following response.

“Unfortunately, the person who would be able to answer these  questions  is  out of the office for several weeks,” the Public Affairs representative stated.

Based on USD’s official description of the office on the website, the Tribal Liaison has multiple responsibilities. Their job is to support Native American and Indigenous students, build relationships with local tribal nations, provide cultural education and programming, advise on Indigenous representation and inclusion and coordinate within the Center for Inclusion and Diversity.

The ethnic studies department was  a part of a group that organized and  helped create the position of Tribal Liaison, which was institutionalized    at   USD   in   2014.

The position was made with the intention of working with native and non-native students to create a connection with surrounding tribes and the urban indigenous population.

The resident Indigenous nation of San Diego is the Kumeyaay people, which have 13 federally recognized reservations in San Diego County. The closest reservation to USD is the Sycuan Reservation, located in El Cajon, roughly 17-20 miles east of campus. 

Before serving  USD,  Sahmie S. Wytewa, the former Tribal Liaison, was   the  tribal  liaison and policy coordinator for the Arizona Department of Education.

Wytewa, who is a member of the Hopi Tribe in Arizona, was the second person to fill the position since its inception and joined USD in 2022. 

In the USD News Center article welcoming Wytewa as the new Tribal Liaison in 2022, Wytewa described how she planned  to  carry  her    experience in the Hopi tribe  over to USD.

“Reciprocity is a very big value of  the  Hopi people — we are constantly giving and receiving all year,” Wytewa stated. “I feel like caretaking and stewardship carry over into my work. It’s really important that this role is flexible to make it what we need in this time, and that capabilities, skills and talents align the position to the values and mission of the university.” 

The USD Vista contacted Wytewa for comment on May 4, yet received no response before the  send to print date of May 5. 

Despite  the  absence of a Tribal Liaison, events for Indigenous students continued this year.

The Office of the Tribal Liaison has been vacant for the entire spring semester. Hailey Howell/The USD Vista