Word out of Washington Monday that President Bush's proposed budget for fiscal year 2005 did not include $3 million in funding for United Tribes Technical College for the third straight year was upsetting, said UTTC president David Gipp.

"We're dismayed, but we certainly have no intention of closing or anything like that," he said. "Our enrollment continues to increase and we have a high demand to continue what we've been doing for 35 years."

UTTC was left out of the budget the past two years, but the money was eventually restored through congressional action. Gipp said the battle is on again to have the money put back into the budget.

In an effort to avoid this problem, UTTC has provided information to Washington about the college's mission and successes. And in 2002 both the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Secretary of Interior Gail Norton visited the UTTC campus in Bismarck.

It had no effect on this year's proposed budget, though.

"They give no explanation," Gipp said. "I believe they think we don't matter. They see us an easy target for elimination. I'm convinced that Gail Norton and her people at Interior don't care about the future of American Indian people and their families."

The funding comes from the Department of Interior.

UTTC's enrollment is about 650 people coming from 66 different tribes across the nation.

Gipp said he's confident the funding will be restored because of support UTTC receives locally, regionally and nationally.

The federal funding accounts for about 53 percent of UTTC's annual budget. The budget for FY 2005 begins Oct. 1.

(Reach reporter Mark Hanson at 250-8264 or mark.hanson@bismarcktribune.com.)