Volume XII Spring 2001 Issue #3

Resource guide for indigenous communities building a college

by Michele and Tom Allen

The following materials are intended to assist tribes or indigenous communities that wish to start post-secondary institutions. They are also intended to help existing tribal colleges to go to the next level of service and quality. The subject areas are community colleges, accreditation, technology, culture, financial management, boards, administration, and organizational change.

WEBSITES AND ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS

American Association of Community Colleges
This site has a wealth of pertinent information for starting or improving tribal colleges since they are all basically community colleges even if they grant bachelor's or master's degrees. The site has an extensive bookstore, initiatives, research, career line, and linkages.

American Indian Higher Education Consortium
This site gives links to its 33 member colleges in the U.S. and Canada and to most of the higher education organization web sites in the U.S. The site includes a downloadable booklet titled Tribal Colleges: An Introduction which provides an overview of tribal colleges, their role in post-secondary education, and the students and communities they serve. www.aihec.org

Association of American Colleges and Universities
The site focuses on collaborative leadership, faculty development, strengthening curricula and diversity. www.aacu-edu.org

EDUCAUSE
This site is the consolidation of educom and CAUSE and deals with technology and colleges. www.educause.edu

ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges
Many books and articles on community colleges. www.gseis.ucla.edu/ERIC/erictext.html

National Association of College and University Business Officers
This site provides information on conferences, etc. as well as a number of very practical publications on college financial management, budgeting, etc. www.nacubo.org

National Center for Non-profit Boards
This site gives responses to questions, as well as books and a newsletter focusing on board issues. www.ncnb.org

Nonprofit GENIE: Sponsored by Compass Point Non-profit Services
This site gives information on board development, financial management, strategic planning, technology planning, and fund raising. www.genie.org

North Central Association
The North Central Association accredits colleges and universities in 19 states. This site lists forms of affiliation, general institutional requirements, criteria for accreditation, etc. Some states included are AZ, NM, SD, ND, WY, CO, OK, WI, MN, MI, the Navajo Nation, and the Department of Defense. The site also has an extensive list of publications on college issues such as institutional improvement, values, self-study and assessment. www.ncacihe.org

Western Association of Colleges and Schools
The Western Association deals with accreditation in CA, HI, and islands in the Pacific. www.wasc.org

BOOKS

Allen, Tom. (1993). Manager as warrior: Winning the war and enjoying it. Mission: Sinte Gleska University Press. 71 pp.
This book gives administrators a practical guide to managing and leading and integrates Lakota values of wisdom, respect for others and the earth, timeliness, bravery, generosity, and fortitude with management theory. Available from Sinte Gleska University Bookstore 605/856-2368.

Hardy, James M. (1990). Developing dynamic boards: A proactive approach to building nonprofit boards of directors. Erwin: Essex Press. 194pp.
James Hardy has written a helpful, hands-on book that is full of exhibits, worksheets, evaluation tools, and examples. This practical work looks at all elements of board development with a good coverage of the human considerations.

Katz, Richard N. & Oblinger, D. (Eds.). (2000). The "E" is for everything: E-commerce, e-business, and e-learning in higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 118pp.
This book outlines major opportunities and challenges for colleges and universities as they evaluate their readiness to conduct business online, build technology infrastructure and expertise to support e-business, and address network access, security, and privacy policy challenges. www.educause.edu or 303-449-4430.

Katz, Richard N. & Rudy, J. (Eds.). (1999). Information technology in higher education: Assessing its impact and planning for the future. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 89pp.
This book offers guidance to campus leaders, information technologists, and institutional researchers and planners on the role of information systems, information services, and information itself in a networked future. www.josseybass.com/catalog/isbn/0-7879-1409-6

Luker, Mark. (Ed.). (1999). Preparing your campus for a networked future. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 100pp.
This volume examines the changes and challenges that an enhanced Internet will bring to higher education campuses everywhere. www.educause.edu

Marchese, Ted with Lawrence, J.F. (1988). The search committee handbook: A guide to recruiting administrators. Washington, D.C.: American Association for Higher Education Online Publications Catalogue.
Advice on finding, selecting, and appointing the best people to key administrative positions. www.aahe.org

Mathiasen, Karl. (1990). Board passages: Three key stages in a nonprofit board's life cycle. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Nonprofit Boards.
The author proposes stages in which the functions, culture, and composition of boards differ as the organization evolves through various stages. www.ncnb.org

McClenney, Kay, Armes, N.& LeCroy, R. (1991). Building communities through strategic planning: A guidebook for community colleges. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Community Colleges.
Based on a strategic plan developed for Qwensboro Community College, the workbook provides a framework for colleges that incorporate the community into their strategic planning. www.aacc.nche.edu

Oblinger, Diana G. & Katz, R. N. (Eds).(1999). Renewing administration: Preparing colleges and universities for the 21st century. Bolton: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.
Many academic institutions are eliminating unnecessary work, dismantling unproductive policies, and reengineering processes to achieve efficiency and create a more learner-centered environment. This book deals with the administrative dimension: the environment, processes, and tools for educators to deliver instruction, for students to learn, and for researchers to produce meaningful scholarship. Sponsored by EDUCAUSE and IBM. Order through Anker Publications online at: www.ankerpub.com/books/oblkatz

NACUBO. (2nd ed.). (1994).College and university budgeting: An introduction for faculty and academic administrators. Washington, D.C.: National Association of College and University Business Officers.
This book introduces faculty and academic administrators to budgets and the budgetary process, provides an overview of the broad economic and political contexts of budgeting, and discusses the framework for the budgetary process, both on and off-campus. The book addresses the sensitive issues of budgetary planning for reallocation and retrenchment and suggests how to properly integrate every office's role in the process. www.nacubo.org or 301/362-8198.

NACUBO. (1993). Paving the way for the 21st century: The human factor in higher education financial management. Washington, D.C.: National Association of College and University Business Officers.
The book offers valuable insight into the connections between human resources and financial management and gives administrators an in-depth look at the personnel issues that will have the greatest fiscal impact on their institutions in the years ahead. www.nacubo.org or 301/ 362-8198.

Roueche, John E. & Roueche, S. D. (1993). Between a rock and a hard place: The at-risk student in the open-door college. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Community Colleges.
This book showcases elements of 12 successful community college programs for at-risk students. www.aacc.nche.edu

ARTICLES

Boyer, Paul. (1990). Building a tribal college: six criteria for a college of quality. Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, II (1). 13-17.
Good tribal colleges must encourage smooth transitions for entering students, offer academic and social support to all students, offer general education that provides skills for life, emphasize and reward good teaching, clearly define relationships with the tribal government, and evaluate student outcomes to improve programs and curricula. www.tribalcollegejournal.org.

Boyer, Paul (Ed.). How to run a tribal college: a special issue devoted to the art of administration. Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, II(1).
In addition to the article listed above, this issue also includes articles by Dr. James Shanley on budgeting and fund accounting, by Dr. Joe McDonald on the Salish Kootenai College board's relationship with the president, and by Dr. Wayne Stein on the roots of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. www.tribalcollegejournal.org.

Carter, Patricia. (1998, June). Cultural change: a framework for getting started. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 22(4), 435-49. ERIC # EJ578000, ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS).
This article describes the major forces driving the need for transformation, the organizational stress that sometimes results, and successful strategies for bridging the old and new cultures. Call 800/ 443-3742 or email service@edrs.com or web site edrs.com.

Davis, Thomas; McLeod, Martha. (1999). Designing the tribal virtual college of tomorrow. Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, X(3), 10-13.
The article discusses the steps taken by Bay Mills (Michigan) and Salish Kootenai (Montana) colleges in developing online educational opportunities for tribal virtual colleges. It defines the asynchronous/ synchronous learning environment that underpins the new approaches to distance education. It asserts that the tribal virtual college's uniqueness lies in defining education in terms of traditional content. www.tribalcollegejournal.org.

MONOGRAPHS

Amiotte, Lowell; Allen, Tom. (1989). The 4 year community college: tribal college. Some lessons in success for Indian students in college. ERIC # ED305101, ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). Paper presented at the Minorities in Higher Education Conference, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, March 9-11,1989.
Drawing from the experiences of Oglala Lakota College, this paper points to the philosophical and operational changes colleges must make if they truly desire to recruit and retain significant numbers of minority students. The first section discusses the philosophical bases of tribal colleges, arguing that one of the key reasons for their success is the belief that students can practice tribal traditions, retain tribal values, and also be successful students. $4.46 + postage. Call 800/ 443-3742 or email service@edrs.com or web site edrs.com.

Griffin, W.A. Jr. (Ed.). (1995). Small colleges, big missions.
This monograph highlights key issues, problems, and opportunities faced by small and rural community colleges such as education reform, partnerships, external fund development, and institutional research. www.aacc.nche.edu

Massy, William F. & Zemsky, Robert. (1995). Using information technology to enhance academic productivity. Originally published by Educom.
This paper reports on a 1995 Educom roundtable of higher education administrators, policy analysts, faculty members, and independent information technology consultants. The roundtable discussed how information technology could be used to increase academic productivity. The paper highlights information technology's potential, barriers to adoption, productivity enhancement; capital-labor ratio, and visions for the future. www.educause.edu

Thompson, Tom (Six'-ah-Pope'). The strong lodgepole society: An organizational construct for the 21st century.
A workshop paper presented in recognition of and with respect for the Nee-Tsee'-Tah-Pix.Organizational culture. The set of values and practices that define an organization has also been a topic for study, comparison, and debate. Very little, if anything, however, has been offered from an American Indian perspective (historic or contemporary). This paper provided the basic framework needed for a new paradigm, an organizational construct for the 21st century. The paper is one tribal member's attempt to bridge both worlds (Indian and non-Indian) and in doing so, offer one way to establish and maintain strong schools and organizations. Available from the National Indian School Board Association, P.O. Box 790, Polson, MT 59860, 406/883-3603.

Twigg, Carol A. & Oblinger, Diana G. (1996, November 5-6). The virtual university. Joint Educom/IBM Roundtable, Washington, D.C.
The paper gives an overview of the trends affecting higher education and the possible result of a move to a more consumer-centric model. The roundtable discussed what the higher education environment might look like in 10 years in terms of institutions, academic programs, financing, and public policy issues. www.educause.edu

PERIODICALS

Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning. www.aahe.org/change/index.htm

EDUCAUSE Review. Formerly Educom Review, this bimonthly print magazine explores developments in information technology and education. Also covered are related issues in management, planning, law, and policy. www.educause.edu

EDUCAUSE Quarterly. Formerly CAUSE/EFFECT, this is a practitioner's journal about managing and using information resources -- information, technology, and services -- in higher education. Written by campus practitioners, articles are peer-reviewed prior to publication. www.educause.edu

VIDEOS

American Association of Community Colleges (Producer). (1997). Community Colleges: Key to the Future.
AACC provides an overview of the ways in which the nation's community colleges are helping to provide education and career opportunities to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Footage represents member colleges in major geographic regions and spotlights a variety of career and academic programs. This video is an excellent resource for presentation to community organizations, student groups, and legislatures. Nine minutes, 21 seconds. VHS. www.aacc.nche.edu

Michele Allen (Oglala/Sicangu Lakota) does desktop publishing at their home in Spearfish, S.D. Tom Allen does planning and proposal writing for tribal organizations, schools, and colleges including the Association of Community/Tribal Schools, National Indian School Board Association, Oglala Lakota College, Tiospa Zina Tribal School, Oglala Lakota College, American Indian College Fund. Tom is the former director of institutional development at Oglala Lakota College.