Carnegie Report Opens Doors for Tribal Colleges

by Marjane Ambler

In 1997, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching released a new study on the nation's tribal colleges with 10 recommendations outlining how the federal government, state agencies, the mainstream educational community, foundations, and corporations could increase their support. It also suggests what schools throughout the country should include in their curriculum to educate non-Indian students about Native American heritage, contemporary life, and governmental powers.

The release of the report, Native American Colleges: Progress and Prospects, in May created a flurry of media attention and caught the attention of several foundations, just as the previous Carnegie report on the colleges had eight years ago. At a dinner at the Library of Congress where the report was released, Little Big Horn College President Janine Pease-Pretty on Top spoke about the hope that the Carnegie attention brought to the Crow Reservation in Montana.

"We live in a remote part of the country where people don't like us very much....where racism cuts us to the quick sometimes, where we're just the margin of error in someone's report. We made friends because of the Carnegie report....We've been places where people slammed the doors in our face, but Dr. Ernest Boyer, a giant of a man, invited us to the table. They listened to our voice," she said. The late Ernest L. Boyer was president of the Carnegie Foundation and a commissioner of education.

"Those in this room might take the gift of education for granted," she said. However, before the tribal colleges were created by the tribes on the reservations, lots of young people didn't have much of a chance. "As a young mother, I wasn't willing to accept that my children and my cousins wouldn't have a chance," she said. The Crow elders had dreamed of their own educational system and had comprised a list of what Crow people should know.

"In our communities we have lots of guts. The Crows say we have faith in our own sense of the future," she said. The Indian people created colleges in 27 places across the country where education was not taken for granted. "Hitchhiking to class in 40 degrees below zero is commonplace. In these places, the desire to get an education is worthy of respect," she said.

The Carnegie report looks at both progress made and problems encountered since the first Carnegie report on the colleges, which was published eight years ago. Based on site visits, interviews, and a survey of 1,600 tribal college students, the Carnegie report is written by Paul Boyer, former editor of Tribal College: Journal of American Indian Education, and son of Ernest L. Boyer. Interim Carnegie President Charles E. Glassick said it was the first time that Carnegie had published a second study on the same subject. The report's 99 pages include hard data as well as an intimate glimpse into the lives of students, faculty, and administrators.

The report recommends first that Congress provide the full funding promised in 1978 by the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act--$5,820 per full-time Indian student instead of the current appropriation of only $2,860. "For tribal colleges, the federal government remains their only consistent source of financial support," the report says.

The report's other recommendations follow:
"Second, we strongly urge full appropriations of Land Grant funds. In addition, we call on state land grant colleges to support the work of tribal colleges.

"Third, we urge that tribal college facilities including libraries, science laboratories, classrooms, and residence halls -- be significantly improved through federal government appropriations. We also propose that foundations, corporations, as well as state and federal government agencies, help improve tribal colleges facilities.

"Fourth, we urge that connections between tribal colleges and non-Indian higher education institutions grow even stronger...that mainstream colleges and universities continue to work with tribal colleges, joining in partnerships that benefit both institutions.

"Fifth, we recommend that tribal colleges continue to expand their important work in preserving the arts, philosophy, science, and religious studies of their tribes. Specifically, we urge foundations and government agencies to fund programs that allow colleges to study and teach this essential knowledge.

"Sixth, we recommend that tribal colleges enrich their curricula -- build even stronger collaboration with non-Indian institutions -- through the expanded use of distance learning technology. We urge foundations and government agencies to support this initiative by providing essential 'seed' money for the development of a telecommunications infrastructure and funding for the development of general education courses.

"Seventh, we repeat the need for a comprehensive program of faculty development at tribal colleges.

"Eighth, we urge continued support of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. Specifically, we urge increased funding for data collection and technical support to member colleges.

"Ninth, we call on foundations, corporations, the federal government, and individuals to continue their support of the American Indian College Fund.

"Tenth, we encourage continued funding of the journal Tribal College."

Prior to the dinner in May, Janine Pease-Pretty on Top met with Little Big Horn College students who asked why the report was so important. "Wherever you go in this world, they will know and respect your achievements. It goes with you and lends credibility," she told them. At the dinner, she closed with hopes that the Carnegie report will help provide the general public with a better understanding of Indian people. People often say to her, "Janine, I love your past." They ignore the fact that Indian people are vital, alive, and moving. With the publication of the new report, she hopes that someday someone will tell her children, "I love your future."

To order Native American Colleges: Progress and Prospects, contact Jossey-Bass, Inc., publishers, 350 Sansome St., 5th Floor, San Francisco CA 94104. Call (888) 378-2537 or fax (800) 605-2665. The reports cost $10. Bulk order discounts are available.

The report's 99 pages include hard data as well as an intimate glimpse into the lives of students, faculty, and administrators.

Marjane Ambler is editor of the Tribal College Journal.