Abstract
This paper discusses the public apology made by Kevin Gover, the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, to Native Americans for the harsh mistreatment they received at the hands of the U.S. Government. The paper looks at the many aspects of this mistreatment addressed by the apology, and suggests that, although late in coming, a public apology may open the door to reparations for American Indians.

From the Paper
"In his speech, Gover made note of the Dawes Severalty Act, passed in 1887. This act was just one in a long line of examples of the early settlers' inability to understand the ways of the Native Americans. The act was created by whites who believed they were helping weak Native Americans by turning them into farmers and land owners. While this act uprooted the Native Americans from their homes and placed them in reservations, the American government alleged that they were helping, rather than hurting the Native Americans simply because of their belief in the superiority of America and of its culture."

Tags:BIA, reservation, boarding, school, system, trail, of, tears, cherokee, indian, removal, of, 1839

From the Paper
"On November 6th 2000, President Clinton signed into effect an Executive Order meant "to establish regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with tribal officials in the development of Federal policies that have tribal implications."

"Once again," said Interior Assistant Secretary " Indian Affairs Kevin Gover, " President Clinton has demonstrated his administration's commitment to the government-to-government relationship between the Federal government and the Tribes. With this order, the Tribes' right to self-government and self-determination ..."

Tags:government, agencies

Abstract
The paper examines "Indian School" by Michael Cooper where he chronicles the history of the schools organized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The paper looks at how Cooper profiles some of its students and their hardships in the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. The paper discusses how the Native-Americans were forced to ignore their Indian culture and conform to the white man's ways. The author concludes that he will use this as an example of why it is important to incorporate all cultures in education.

From the Paper
"In 1879, relations between the United States government and the Native Americans were very poor. The Native Americans were being forced into reservations by the expanding European-American population. Also just three years earlier, Lt. Colonel Custer and 250 soldiers were killed at the Little Bighorn River. When Captain Richard Henry Pratt came to the Rosebud Reservation asking for Sioux children, the Native Americans were very apprehensive. Captain Pratt spoke with forty warriors and chiefs and he convinced them that their ignorance of the white man's ways were actually hurting their civilization. He said the United States government would provide boarding and education for their children at no cost. After talking it over the Chiefs decided that it would be best if the children did get an education so that they would be better able to help their people negotiate with the white man. That winter hundreds of frightened Sioux children were taken by train from their homes near North Dakota to Pennsylvania, one thousand miles away."

Tags:Native-American, white, culture, heritage, traditions, English, education

Abstract
Discusses conflicts between religioius practitioners of Peyotism and American laws and society. First Amendment protection vs. traditional use of psychedelic drug (peyote/mescal). History of Peyotism; its rites & ceremonies. Its religious significance. Its social & cultural characteristics. The Ghost Dance. Sense of identity. Actions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) & traditional Christian missionaries. Current legal status of the religion of Peyotism.

From the Paper
"Peyotism is the largest religion started, organized, and directed by and for Native Americans and gets its title from the fact that members of the religion use the peyote - sometimes referred to as mescal - in their ceremonies, a point that has caused fascinating legal challenges between those supporting the First Amendment protection of freedom of religious practice in the United States and those who wish to prohibit the use of hallucinogenic drugs for what they see as recreational (or at least on-medicinal) purposes. Peyotism has also brought the Native Americans into conflict with mainstream society, and one might speculate that part of the reason that the followers of peyotism have been so adamant in their insistence on using it is the Indians wish to wrest some control of ceremony and cultural identity back from the society that tried so hard for so many years ..."

Abstract
The paper discusses the employee review process and the methods for rewarding excellent performance by managers and non-managers at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The paper looks at the opportunities/resources available for employee development and considers how the performance management system enhances the performance of the organization. The paper also identifies several barriers to success but deems them to be far outweighed by the contributions that a well-managed performance management system can provide any organization today.

Outline:
Review and Discussion
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs (hereinafter "VA" or alternatively, "the Department") has the largest integrated health care system in the nation with 153 hospitals and more than 700 community-based clinics (Peake, 2008). The Department's healthcare budget of more than $36 billion this year is intended to provide care to about 5.5 million U.S. veterans (Peake). In recent years, the Department has experienced unprecedented growth in the medical system workload, with the number of veteran patients being treated increasing by 29 percent from 4.2 million in 2001 to almost five-and-a-half million in 2006 (Facts about the VA, 2007)."

Tags:opportunities, resources, employees, managers

Abstract
This paper provides an analysis of the Department of Veterans Affairs using the "Fourteen Forces of Magnetism" developed by Bliss-Holtz, Winter, Scherer and Elaine as a guide to assessing whether the organization has structures in place to for recruitment, retention, and support of a qualified workforce and to support the professional practice of nursing. The paper presents an overview of the VA, its location, size and age as well as some unusual history of the organization. A discussion concerning the VA's image is followed by an analysis of its sub-unit configuration. A summary of the research and salient findings concerning whether the VA is in a solid position to recruit, retain, and support a qualified workforce and to support the professional practice of nursing are presented in the conclusion.

From the Paper
"The research showed that today, the Department of Veterans Affairs is the nation's largest healthcare provider and one of the largest healthcare providers in the world. The research also showed that notwithstanding some major constraints to the provision of high-quality healthcare services to the millions of veteran patients the organization has encountered in the past, the VA is well situated to recruit, retain, and support a qualified workforce and to support the professional practice of nursing in the 21st century."

Tags:healthcare, war veterans, organizations nursing

Abstract
A look at the origins of Indian culture with emphasis on Indian music and dance. The author examines the roots of music and dance from legends, myths and ancient scripts and provides an understanding of the historical foundation of Indian music and dance.

From the Paper
"The history of Indian music and dance is one of the oldest unbroken artistic traditions in the world. It is said that the origins of this system go back to the Vedas, the ancient scripts of the Hindus. Numerous legends have grown up concerning the origins and development of Indian classical music and dance. Such legends illustrate the importance both that music and dance have had in defining Indian culture, especially from a religious perspective. This investigation is meant to explore the historical foundation of Indian music to ascertain a better understanding of the classical form."

Tags:continent, india, sub

Abstract
This paper discusses the leadership Chief Plenty Coups of the Crow Indians. The author relates his including life, pre-reservation and on the reservation. The paper describes his fight to obtain Crow Indian rights from the U.S. government.

From the Paper
"Chief Plenty Coups of the Crow was born in the son of Medicine Bird and his wife Otter Woman. Chief Plenty Coups was named by his father as he had a dream that his son would count many coups live to an old age and become a chief ... of Plenty-Coups. All of these premonitions would be realized by Chief Plenty Coups and while he was instrumental in helping the Crow in battles against other ...."

Tags:Custer, Little Big Horn, education, ranching, farming, warrior, WWI, Crow Act 1920, Native Americans, unknown soldier, Congress, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lakota Sioux, Montana, land rights

Abstract
Shows how the author's intent to destroy myths surrounding Indians is simplistic and incorrect. Discusses the impact of the over-generalizations of white society on modern Native Americans and the failure of the reservation system and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

From the Paper
"The major purpose of Vine Deloria's 1969 book Custer Died For Your Sins is to destroy the myths surrounding Indians (as Native Americans were called at that time). Deloria particularly attacks the myth of Indians as "noble savages" as not only incorrect ..."

Abstract
Louise Erdrich, in her book Love Medicine, and John Neihardt, in his biographical novel Black Elk Speaks, both address the importance of gender in the daily lives of their characters. This paper compares the role of gender identity to each of the main characters in these novels and how the society in which they live influences their outlook.

From the paper:

"Louise Erdrich, like many of the characters in her novels and short stories, is part Native American, part something else ? in her case, her family is a mixture of a German-American father and a Chippewa mother. Erdrich's parents worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs as teachers on a nearby North Dakota reservation and she recalls that her father regularly recited memorized poetry ? Frost and Byron ? to her and her six siblings and it is no surprise that Erdrich started her literary career as a poet, supporting herself by working at a Kentucky Fried Chicken and on road construction crews. "

Tags:hierarchically, women, experience, human, society, American, matriarchy, strength, experience, civilization, leader, historical