ARCATA -- Humboldt State University has reached a settlement with the three Native American Studies professors who sued the university in 2001.

Joseph Giovannetti, Joseph Dupris and Kathleen Hill filed federal suit in September 2001 alleging "discrimination, retaliation and conspiracy." All three are American Indian and said the university had discriminated against them.

The conflicts date back to 1998 and include copyright disputes as well as personnel issues. Dupris and Hill said they were denied access to some of their personnel files. Giovannetti, the department chairman, received tenure but said he was denied an expected promotion.

Shortly after the suit was filed, students from the Native American Studies department petitioned on behalf of their professors. The department has only four full-time faculty members, and students feared that losing two would harm the major.

The university announced the voluntary settlement agreement on Wednesday. Under the terms of the agreement, Giovannetti will continue as a member of the department.

Hill and Dupris resigned from their positions effective May 23. The university is "providing monetary support to help them bridge to new employment opportunities," states a university press release. Hill and Dupris are married to one another.

The two have agreed not to seek employment in the California State University system, HSU President Rollin Richmond said.

He said HSU plans to hire temporary faculty to teach the courses for the 2003-2004 school year and conduct a search for two permanent tenure-track professors during that time.

"It clearly will take some time to heal," Richmond said. "We will need to rebuild trust between the university and Professor Giovannetti."

Giovannetti could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Richmond said he hopes to strengthen Native American programs on campus and connections with local Indian communities. He noted that the planned five-story Behavioral and Social Sciences Building will include one floor dedicated to Indian programs. Construction is expected to start sometime next year.

HSU began offering the Native American Studies major in 1994, and established the department in 1998. It's the only California State University campus to have a Native American Studies department, which attracts students from around the state.