Throughout the 1970’s, due to Dr. Bernard Spolsky’s support for Navajo language research, Dr. Robert W. Young and Dr. William Morgan, Sr., were hired as visiting lecturers / researchers (UNM Departmental MS). This happened in various stages:

1971-72: Dr. Robert W. Young was appointed as a visiting lecturer of Navajo for one year.

1973-74: Professors Dr. William Morgan, Sr., and Dr. Robert W.  Young were both given visiting appointments for Navajo.

1974-75: “Dr. Robert Young was appointed as Research Professor of Navajo Linguistics and Professor of Modern and Classical Languages. He was fully supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Grant for the revision of the Navajo Dictionary… Dr. William Morgan [Sr.] was appointed as Visiting Professor of Navajo Linguistics. He was partially supported by the same NEH Grant, and partially by the NRS-TTP.” (Unknown)

1978-79: Dr. Robert W. Young, now the Director of the Navajo Dictionary Project, continued in UNM as a Professor of Navajo Linguistics.