It has everything to do with opportunities. I try not to look at things through the lens of race. But when it comes to native americans, there is no denying that they have very few opportunities to rise above their situation. Terrible schools, no job opportunities on the reservations, rampant addiction, etc. The odds are heavily against them. So if there is a way to help them get a leg up, I'm all for it. And if the University of Utah wants to keep their mascot as the Utes and the Ute nation has agreed to let them use it as long as they allow Ute students to attend for free, then so be it.

Having said that, I agree with you that race shouldn't be a determining factor for scholarships or job opportunities. I think if you are incredibly impoverished, whether you are white, black, hispanic, asian, etc, that you should be given some opportunities to rise above your station if you are willing to put in the work.