In Fall 2025, EOU and CTUIR will launch an online course called Beginning Umatilla I for four college credits, followed by Beginning Umatilla II in the Winter 2026 term (also four credits). The courses are taught by Mildred Quaempts, one of the few remaining fluent speakers of Umatilla, under a memorandum of agreement between the tribe and the university.
This is part of a broader initiative to attract and retain Native American students, strengthen cultural identity, and embed Indigenous language teaching into higher education.
What We Know: Program Features & Structure
- Instructor and speakers: Mildred Quaempts, a CTUIR master speaker, leads the course. She is one of a small number of fluent Umatilla speakers on the reservation (others include her brother Fred Hill Sr., cousin Thomas Morning Owl, and her children).
- Open enrollment & access: The course is offered online, held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:10 p.m. It’s open to all EOU students without class-size limits.
- Tuition waivers for tribal community: For CTUIR tribal community members, EOU will provide five tuition waivers each term, allocated through CTUIR’s Higher Education Program.
- Language program context: The CTUIR Language Program already offers community classes (via Microsoft Teams and Zoom), a language immersion project for young children, and multimedia resources including a Umatilla online dictionary.
Added Context & Gaps: What the Media Didn’t Fully Cover
1. The State of Umatilla (and Related Languages)
- Endangered status: Umatilla is one of the Sahaptin languages, and estimates suggest there are only about 50 first-language speakers left.
- Dialect connections: The tribe also works with Walla Walla and Weyíiletpuu (Cayuse) languages as part of a holistic language revitalization program.
- Historical documentation: The Umatilla Dictionary (published in 2014) is a foundational resource. It compiles vocabulary, grammar, and context, in collaboration with elders and linguists.
2. Challenges in Revitalization & Education
- Limited number of fluent speakers: Teaching capacity is constrained by the few elders who still speak fluently.
- Resource constraints: Funding, staffing, materials, and technological infrastructure are all under strain in many Indigenous language programs.
- Student motivation: At college level, students may prioritize more “practical” languages unless they see cultural, community, or academic incentives.
- Pedagogical approaches: Creating curricula for a heritage language in a university format requires tailored methods — balance between linguistic rigor and accessibility.
- Assessment and credit transfer: Ensuring the courses are academically rigorous yet respectful to Indigenous practice and that credits are accepted by other institutions.
3. Broader Impact & Strategic Vision
- Cultural identity and retention: Embedding the language in education can strengthen identity for tribal youth and members who live off reservation.
- Intergenerational transmission: College-level courses should interface with immersion at younger ages (e.g. preschool, K-12) to make language learning cumulative.
- Scholarship and academic visibility: This initiative could attract more research, grants, and academic collaboration in Indigenous linguistics and revitalization.
- Community engagement: Success will depend on buy-in from tribal members, elders, and learners — not just university students.
What Happens Elsewhere in CTUIR Language Efforts
- Early childhood immersion: The CTUIR Language Program runs a language immersion project for children ages 3–5 at the Nixyaawii Community School.
- Community classes: Multigenerational adult classes via Teams/Zoom, recorded and archived, open broadly.
- Reading groups: In summer 2025, CTUIR trialed a Umatilla reading group using texts from the Umatilla Dictionary, focusing on comprehension and exposure rather than speaking fluency.
- Language documentation & archiving: The tribe maintains the Umatilla Online Dictionary and records fluent speakers for archival and educational use.
- Higher education support: CTUIR’s Higher Education & Vocational Training arm offers scholarships, guidance, and support for tribal members pursuing college or vocational pathways.
What’s at Stake & Potential Metrics of Success
To evaluate whether this college-credit language initiative is effective, one might consider:
- Enrollment numbers — how many students (tribal and non-tribal) sign up and persist.
- Performance & progression — how many students move beyond beginning levels into intermediate/advanced courses.
- Community use — whether learners begin using the language in daily life, cultural settings, or family contexts.
- Intergenerational reach — do learners influence younger generations to adopt or maintain language use?
- Sustainability — whether funding, staffing, and institutional support hold over years.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is Umatilla? | Umatilla (also Umatilla Sahaptin) is an Indigenous language of the Sahaptin family, historically spoken by the Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Cayuse peoples. |
| Why offer it for college credit? | College credit boosts legitimacy and incentive; it helps tribal and non-tribal students integrate language learning into their academic paths. |
| Who can enroll? | All EOU students can enroll. Tribal community members may apply for tuition waivers. |
| When are the classes offered? | Fall 2025: Beginning Umatilla I. Winter 2026: Beginning Umatilla II. Classes meet twice weekly. |
| Who teaches them? | Mildred Quaempts, a Umatilla master speaker and one of the few fluent speakers remaining. |
| How many fluent speakers remain? | Very few — in CTUIR, around five or so elders are acknowledged as masters of the language. |
| How does this relate to younger learners? | The tribe operates immersion programs for preschoolers and community classes; the college courses build on this foundation. |
| Are there materials and resources? | Yes: the Umatilla Dictionary, online recordings, recorded class sessions, and archived materials. |
| Will students reach fluency through these courses? | Probably not solely through beginning courses, but they establish foundational knowledge and can lead to further advancement. |
| What is the main goal? | To preserve, revitalize, and reestablish the Umatilla language; to build identity and intergenerational continuity. |
Conclusion
The EOU–CTUIR partnership to offer college-credit Umatilla language courses is a bold and symbolic step for Indigenous language revitalization. It bridges academia with tribal community interests, infuses legitimacy and sustainability into language teaching, and provides a pathway for learners to engage with their cultural heritage in a structured setting.
If well supported and sustained, this initiative may become a model for how higher education can meaningfully contribute to reversing language loss among Indigenous peoples.
Sources East Oregonian
