Volume 13 Summer 2002 Issue #4

ON CAMPUS

Tribal colleges honor U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle

Tribal college presidents gathered at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 12 to honor an old friend, U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle. From South Dakota, Daschle represents five of the tribal colleges and universities. Now in his third term in the Senate, he previously served four terms in the House of Representatives. In 1995, he became the Senate minority leader and in the spring of 2001, he became the majority leader.

"Thank you for what you have done despite the arrows that have unfairly been shot at you," Oglala Lakota College President Tom Shortbull told Daschle. The senator turned the honoring ceremony around, saying, "I applaud you for being the leaders you are. You are making a difference for young people with such limited resources." The tribal colleges presented the senator with a satin star quilt with the words "Majority Leader" on it, as well as several other gifts. "I have always felt blessed to have the friendship of the tribal colleges," Daschle said as he accepted the gifts.

"Over the years, he has been a champion of the tribal college movement and a true believer in our mission," said Meg Goetz, director of Congressional relations at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). "He has worked from his position as a national leader to help the colleges fulfill their goals of bringing quality higher education to chronically underserved American Indian communities," she said.

U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson joined with the tribal college presidents at a ceremony honoring U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle. Pictured are Johnson, Dr. Elden Lawrence, Dr. Gerald Gipp, Tom Shortbull, Daschle, Dr. Karen Swisher, Ron McNeil, J.D., and Liz Yellowbird Demarais. Photo courtesy of Daschle's office.

Lambert earns national distance ed award

The Sloan-Consortium has selected Dr. Lori Lambert (formerly known as Colomeda) as the recipient of the 2001 Sloan-C Excellence in Teaching Award. Competition for the award is rigid with over 71 colleges and universities submitting candidates. Lambert is the curriculum specialist for the Distance Education Department at Salish Kootenai College (SKC) in Pablo, MT. Her supervisor, Dr. Michael T. O'Donnell, director of distance education at SKC, nominated her for this prestigious award, which was presented at Sloan's international conference in November.

In 1998, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded SKC a development grant to provide stipends for faculty developing courses for online distance delivery. Lambert developed 15 courses pro bono and was instrumental in assisting SKC faculty to develop 100 additional courses for the college.

Lambert states, "The award belongs to all of us at the college and especially the Distance Education Department, Michelle Mitchell our technology manager, David Burland computer specialist, Kim Barber of student services, and Mike O'Donnell. We are a team, and this validates our hard work over the past four years."

Lambert is a member of the Abenaki Nation and a descendent of French Canadians and Mi'kmaq peoples. She graduated in 1979 from Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA. In 1980, she received her bachelor of science degree from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Her master's in education was awarded in 1982 by Beaver College/ Arcadia University, Glenside, PA. She holds a Ph.D. from the Union Institute of Arts and Science, Cincinnati, OH. Last year she completed an online post-doctoral certificate from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, in Distributed Learning and Technology.

This is her ninth year at SKC. She is married to Frank Tyro, media director for the college, and lives in Pablo, MT, with their six Huskies.

The goal of the Sloan Foundation's grant program in asynchronous learning is to make quality higher education and training available anytime and anywhere. The Sloan ALN Consortium includes 71 institutions, ranging from elite universities to community colleges that have received grants from the foundation.

Lori Lambert: "The award belongs to all of us."

LCO celebrates 20-year anniversary

by David Fleming

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College first opened its doors in Hayward, WI, 20 years ago with 30 full-time equivalency students. The college now has enrollment of over 500 full time students and has outreach sites on the Red Cliff and Bad River reservations in northern Wisconsin. The first classes were held in borrowed space from the LCO high school and tribal office and taught by volunteers from the community. Since then the college has grown to a campus of over 20 class rooms, modern library, and seven computer labs. It recently acquired a new building on the Red Cliff reservation as well as space for classes at Bad River.

Like many tribal communities, the people on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation saw a need to educate and raise the standard of living in their community. The college's first president, John Anderson, recalls that the school started with careful thought and planning. "We were planting seeds and wanted to see them flower."

From the beginning the college emphasized community service and supplied staff and technical assistance in establishing The Anishinaabe Way, an annual alcohol and drug prevention conference. The LCO college library provides a bookmobile to the community as well as hosting visiting artists and lecturers and sponsoring informational discussions and presentations relevant to the history of the area. The college has become one of the major focal points on the LCO reservation and a beacon of hope to a people who have been denied the benefits of higher education for generations.

For 20 years now classes at the LCO College have been an effective blend of modern education and the traditional values held by the Ojibwa people. As the class of 2001 received degrees and the congratulations of their teachers, relatives and friends at a commencement ceremony, LCO President Schuyler Houser remarked, "Anyone who comes to the tribal college is a survivor. Anyone who graduates is a hero. We are grateful for your hard work, your discipline, your sacrifice, and your achievement. You inspire us."

Houser acknowledged the contributions that the graduates' family and friends made to their success. "We serve communities as a whole," he said. Last year the college awarded 35 associates of arts or science degrees, 11 one-year certificates, and 19 high school equivalency diplomas.

Recently, the LCO Community College broke ground for a 16,600-square-foot cultural learning and teaching center. The facility is the 24th cultural learning center to be built at a tribal college in the U.S. The American Indian Higher Education consortium Initiative creates repositories for art and culture at each member institution.

Workshop confronts Indian v. Indian racism

by Ron Selden

"Oppressed people, we like to do ourselves in," said Clayton Small, a New Mexico-based educator and consultant, to about 600 high school students attending a recent tribal education conference in Montana. The School to Work Career Institute 2002 conference in Billings was co-sponsored by the Crow Tribe's Little Big Horn College and the Northern Cheyenne's Chief Dull Knife College. Prejudice from non-Indians is painful, but racism from within the American Indian community is just as damaging, they were told.

"We cannot struggle against the oppressor, so we struggle against each other," added two-time Green Party vice presidential candidate Winona LaDuke, an Ojibwa from the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota. "We have to question why we've got to fight among ourselves." "Lateral" racism, exacerbated by poverty, cultural isolation, and a perceived lack of power against the dominant culture, displays itself through emotional undermining of fellow tribal members, LaDuke and Small explained. Unfortunately, it is often directed at friends and relatives who try to get ahead.

"Getting at racism isn't fun," said Northern Cheyenne educator Dr. Frank Rowland. "It's a hard task. You have to get at people's minds."

Racism is actually a disease, much like alcoholism or diabetes, said John Potter, a Utah-based Indian artist and newspaper columnist. But no one is born a racist, he said. Whether it's internal or external, racism must be learned. Potter grew up hearing that some Indians were from the "wrong" clan, family, or tribe. Even today Indians pass myths down to new generations, teaching that many tribes hate each other and that full-blood Indians are superior to mixed-bloods. "The white man is not your enemy," Potter said. "Ignorance is the enemy. How can we expect the white man to appreciate diversity when we don't?"

"This is the beauty of us," LaDuke told the group. "We are not all the same. Diversity is what ecologically sustains life. That's what sustains our communities. We are human beings and have the right to be respected. Do not let anyone put a bad thought on you."

LaDuke said high unemployment, inadequate housing, substandard health care, and a lack of services for youths combine to fuel negativity in Native American communities, which in turn poisons advancement. "That's all we have in our communities -- the crumbs," she said. "The challenge is to not pound each other over the crumbs."

Ron Selden is a freelance writer and photographer based in Helena, MT.

Winona LaDuke with her son, Gwekaanimad: "Do not let anyone put a bad thought on you." Photo by Ron Selden

Wisconsin helps support dual credit program

High school students on the Menominee Nation Reservation have an opportunity to kick start their college education and their careers thanks to a dual credit program at the College of the Menominee Nation (CMN). The state of Wisconsin provides $300,000 a year to support the program.

High school students can choose from several different programs. If, for example, a student wants to be a teacher, he or she can enroll in an early childhood education class at the tribal college and also work in a classroom or daycare center. Using the state funds, the tribal college pays for the tuition, books, and a stipend. The students get both high school and college credit as well as experiences that help them determine their career paths. For the tribal college, it has been an excellent recruitment tool, bringing younger students into the college, including a greater percentage of male students. Parents like the program. Students recognize it as a privilege they don't want to lose, according to College of Menominee President Verna Fowler. There are practically no behavior problems: The high school students take classes with students who are sometimes much older, she said.

Three years ago, then Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson told the 11 gaming tribes in the state that the state would not renew their gaming compacts unless they agreed to provide a greater percentage of their revenue to the state. Thompson said the casino revenue would be used to develop services in the areas impacted by the casinos. Fowler recognized the opportunity. Working closely with the tribe's lobbyist, they promoted legislation for directing some of the casino revenue into a youth apprenticeship program. At the time, Thompson was recognized nationally for his welfare reform ideas, including a school to work program.

Fowler's tribal college designed a program that satisfied the governor's priorities but that was oriented more toward career than vocational training. Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College (the other tribal college in Wisconsin) also has a dual credit program funded by state-tribal casino revenue.

Fowler credits the efforts of the Menominee Tribe as well as the strong relationships she enjoys with state lawmakers. Fowler regularly invites legislators to visit the college to speak and to participate in forums. The college sponsors election forums for all the federal, state, local, and tribal elections and broadcasts the forums over the Internet.

Retiring president helped build 'jewel'

From tribal leaders to tribal college presidents, from Bureau of Indian Affairs directors to corporate partners of Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, hundreds gathered on the Albuquerque campus Dec. 7, 2001, to honor retiring President Dr. Carolyn Elgin. After 10 years of leadership, Elgin retired in January, leaving the college, as U.S. Rep. Tom Udall said, "the jewel of New Mexico," with a wide reputation for providing quality education.

Elgin's announcement came as SIPI, which has become accredited as a National Indian Community College, celebrated its 30th anniversary. She noted:

"SIPI has evolved through the years from offering vocational-technical courses to granting associate of applied science, associate of arts, and associate of science degree programs." The college has become renowned for providing quality education to American Indians and Alaska Natives under Elgin's leadership since 1991. During her tenure, the college raised money to construct a $12 million science and technology building, introduced distance learning initiatives, and developed a major early childhood development training program.

Elgin (Choctaw) received the American Indian Science and Engineering Society's prestigious Eli Parker award for outstanding service to the Indian community in science and engineering in 2001.

The SIPI faculty and staff gave Elgin a special presentation in honor of her efforts to bring the school into the 21st Century, saying, "Not by might, not by power, but by spirit -- that is how SIPI has been able to accomplish so much under the leadership of Dr. Elgin over the last several years."

New Mexico's two U.S. senators noted Elgin's work. Sen. Jeff Bingaman remarked on Elgin's enthusiasm and ability to work "tirelessly to make SIPI one of the best Native American colleges in the nation. I'm proud of her accomplishments and will miss the working relationship we established as she fought to make sure her students could access the best resources and education needed to achieve economic success."

Sen. Pete Domenici said, "Dr. Elgin is an excellent leader. She understands the value of a solid education and has helped thousands of American Indians into the workforce."

UTTC building early childhood programs

by Leah Woodke

All of our children are sacred. They are the key to the future of our cultures and languages. United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) has become a hub of activity in early childhood education. The Early Childhood Education Department (ECED) on the Bismarck, ND, campus is involved with three major initiatives. The first began three years ago with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs. The program is called Lakota - English Acquisition Project (LEAP).

LEAP has three main components: teacher training, parent education, and direct instruction. Through LEAP, parents are provided access to resources that help them as first teachers of their children. In addition, the teachers at the campus-based center receive professional development in teaching methods, language development, and techniques to teach Native language to young children. The Early Childhood Education faculty created a developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant curriculum for use with the children and families at the ECED.

In addition, the Education Department recently awarded the college a second grant: Plains Alliance for Bilingual Education (PABE). PABE will help early childhood practitioners throughout the state access early childhood education courses from United Tribes Technical College through online technology. PABE is also building an elementary education degree program at the college through collaborative efforts with Sinte Gleska University, a tribal university in South Dakota. The project is a vehicle through which current North Dakota teachers can access courses for North Dakota bilingual endorsement.

Finally, the early childhood education program is going online. The program serves both Indians and non-Indians. Most of the students taking courses online work in early childhood centers. Students have said they appreciate the convenience of taking courses from their homes. Prominent early childhood professionals throughout North Dakota serve on the advisory board for the department. This helps to ensure high standards and a distinguished presence throughout the state. Accreditation for the degree program online is expected early next year. For more information contact Leah Woodke at (701) 255-3285, x-339 or email lwoodke@uttc.edu.

Leech Lake granted accreditation candidacy

On Feb. 4, 2002, Leech Lake Tribal College, Cass Lake, MN, was granted initial candidacy accreditation status at the associate degree level from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).

"Accreditation is a system for recognizing education institutions for a level of performance, integrity, and quality that entitles them to the confidence of the education community and the public they serve," according to NCA guidelines. On the most practical level, accreditation signifies that students can easily transfer credits to other higher educational institutions.

The next on-site visit, tentatively scheduled for spring of 2004, will assess Leech Lake Tribal College's fitness for full accreditation. Founded in 1990 by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the college was accredited in 1991 by NCA as a certificate granting technical institution. It did not have accreditation as a degree-granting college.

NCA's report detailed nine strengths of the tribal college, highlighting in particular an overall "learning environment for students that is nurturing and caring." The report included strong praise for the faculty, administration, and students. "Students have a strong sense of responsibility for and ownership of the institution," the report said. It also cited the new president, Lenee Ross, and the governing board, chaired by Roger Aitken, as key strengths. Regarding the tribal college's mission, the report said, "Faculty members are well positioned to provide national leadership in the preservation of the Ojibwe language and Anishinaabe culture."

LLTC President Ross said, "We will continue to improve the quality of our transferable liberal arts degrees and vocational programs and provide the best teaching and scholarship possible." A member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Ross became president of the college in September 2001.

The college has launched its capital campaign, hoping to raise $15 million for a new, state-of-the-art campus. Presently, most of the college classes and offices are in the old Cass Lake High School where Ross went to high school.

Sacred pipe finds its way home

by Avis Little Eagle

A grandfather's dream and a spiritual leader's Hanbleceya vision were both realized when a catlinite pipe with its beaded and porcupine quilled pipe bag were returned to the Standing Rock Nation.

In ceremonies at Sitting Bull College on Jan. 11, 2002, Greg Boettcher and his son, Ronnie Boettcher, of Pierre, SD, returned the pipe to the Standing Rock Nation. Ron McNeil, J.D., president of the college, received the pipe. It will be put in a glass display for viewing. "I think it's very significant that these items are coming back without us going out and looking for them. That says a lot for the person returning them. This wouldn't have happened 30 or 40 years ago," McNeil said in opening ceremonies.

The pipe's journey home took nearly three-fourths of a century. It came into the hands of the Boettcher family following the 1930 closing of the Lutheran Parochial Boarding School. An Indian family apparently gifted the pipe to the school. Boettcher's grandfather sat on the school board. When the school closed, Boettcher's grandfather kept the items, with the hope of returning them to the Indian people.

That wish did not come true, however, and Boettcher's grandfather died in 1956. The pipe was then given to Boettcher's aunt, who kept it in a cedar chest. When his aunt was placed in a nursing home, she informed Boettcher of her father's wish-- to return the pipe to the Indian people. Boettcher contacted his friend, Joanne Beare, who, along with Pearl Stone and Gwen Holmes, helped organize the return. "I feel it is the right thing to do and that it is my obligation to my aunt and my grandfather," Boettcher said.

Everette Jamerson, a spiritual leader, explained the symbolism of the pipe and how White Buffalo Calf Woman brought it to the people. He said it was fitting that this particular pipe returned through the efforts of women. Felix Kidder, a spiritual leader, purified the pipe with a sage smudge and said prayers that thanked the Creator. Kidder told about a dream he had during a vision quest. In the dream, Sitting Bull said he had something to tell Kidder. "So yesterday when they told me that this was coming back, I thought maybe this is a fulfillment of that dream."

Excerpted with permission from the Lakota Journal.

Sitting Bull College President Ron McNeil (right) presented Greg Boettcher with a college Pendleton blanket in gratitude.

Librarians communicate with inter-college link

Tribal college and university staff and faculty rarely have the opportunity to meet their counterparts at other tribal colleges to trade ideas. Thanks to a listserv, however, tribal college librarians share information with their colleagues across the nation several times a day. Montana State University-Bozeman initiated the service specifically for tribal college librarians. A listserv is an electronic discussion group in which a message goes out via email to the mailbox of each member. Each individual reads the message, and responses go to all members' mailboxes. Members do not have to be online at the same time.

MSU started the service at the request of librarians who attended the Tribal College Librarians Professional Development Institute, according to Kathy Kaya of MSU. The university usually hosts the annual conference, which is now in its ninth year. On their evaluations following the conferences, librarians expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to network and share questions, concerns, experiences, ideas, and expertise with colleagues who share the same unique work environment. Responding to this need, Kaya developed the listserv to allow the tribal college librarians to continue their interactions.

Participation in TCLib-L began slowly but increased as the librarians gained access to technology and became more comfortable. Today, discussions include evaluating books, cataloging techniques, software recommendations, and reference questions.

As the moderator of the listserv, Kaya facilitates efficiency, including maintaining the member list, correcting addresses, and troubleshooting. She shares general announcements and news, but the discussions are left to the librarians. The librarians have chosen to keep this a closed list, i.e., membership is strictly controlled and limited only to tribal college library staff.

Tribal college librarians often work alone, and they are asked to provide sophisticated services to not only the tribal college community but also the reservation beyond. The listserv helps to create a community among professionals who are widely scattered and isolated geographically. For more information, contact Kathy Kaya at kkaya@montana.edu.

CIT students cooked delicacies at the Olympics

"It was a constant adrenaline rush," said Crownpoint Institute of Technology (CIT) culinary arts student Alden Yazzie of the three weeks he spent at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The Navajo Nation's Discover Navajo 2002 committee invited Yazzie and his classmates to cook at this year's games. With their instructor, Chef Bob Witte, the students joined Executive Chef Sandy Garcia to ply their culinary skills in Salt Lake City.

The class practiced for a month at the tribal college in Crownpoint, NM, before leaving in January for Salt Lake City. They became adept at preparing delicacies such as carved leg of wild boar, Potowatami little pie, roasted buffalo tenderloin medallions, Mayan sweet onion marmalade, and Yukon Gold potato medallions. And, yes, frybread. During that month CIT staff appreciatively sampled the practice menu.

Garcia, who is from New Mexico's Santa Clara Pueblo, designed the menus. "There was no European influence," he said. "It reflected Native American cuisine from pre-Colombian days to the present-with a classical twist."

Pearl Nez said one of the most memorable experiences was catering Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson's reception where she got her picture taken with the mayor. Sherry Smith remembers the diners' enthusiastic response. Smith liked the food, too; she sampled the entire menu-including alligator. Olivia Montoya loved the excitement of being part of the Olympics. "I knew we were doing an important job. And I got to hold the Olympic Torch." "Our practice paid off," said Nathaniel David, "and we sure learned a lot about off-site catering."

In his three years' teaching culinary arts at CIT, Bob Witte and his students have amassed an impressive assortment of awards. In March 1999, competing against professional chefs from throughout the state at Albuquerque's annual Chocolate Fantasy competition, CIT students won the People's Choice award and took second place overall in the event. The 2000 class swept first, second, and third place in the annual state VICA competition. This year's work at the Winter Olympics was the most demanding and in some ways the most rewarding project so far, Witte said.

"The students overcame problems you typically confront in food service-tension, cramped quarters, transporting food," he said. People responded enthusiastically to the students' work; they have job offers waiting when they graduate, he said. As Alden Yazzie said, "It made me proud of being Navajo."

SKC creates indigenous math/science institute

Salish Kootenai College (SKC) in Pablo, MT, created the Indigenous Math and Science Institute (IMSI) in December 2001. The department began as the All Nations Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (ANLSAMP) in 1995. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and serves the 32 U.S. tribal colleges and universities in the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, as well as 20 state and private institutions of higher education in a 12-state region. Its goal is to increase the quality and quantity of American Indians receiving baccalaureate degrees and graduate degrees in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET). The department grew to include preK-12 activities and began receiving funds from other sources. With the expansion in focus and funding sources, SKC recognized the need to form a department that included all these activities.

There are two primary divisions within the Indigenous Math and Science Institute (IMSI): college level programs and preK-12 programs. The college programs include the NSF Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarship program, which promotes full-time enrollment and degree achievement in computer science, engineering, and mathematics to Native American students attending ANLSAMP institutions. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scholarship offers scholarships specifically for tribal college students in the science, math, technology, and engineering fields.

The preK-12 programs include the NSF-funded Rural Systemic Initiative, which is designed to reform science, mathematics, and technology instruction and learning on the Flathead Reservation. The NSF Leadership Development for Master Teacher grant increases student achievement by providing high quality standards-based curricula. The NASA-funded Native Earth Science Curriculum Project develops and disseminates culturally-competent curriculum specific to NASA's Earth Systems Science. The NASA Northern Rocky Mountain Tribal Pathways to Academic Excellence is a summer program to prepare students for their first high school algebra course. It is a joint effort between the Nez Perce Tribe, SKC, and the Idaho Space Grant Consortium. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases planning grant addresses culturally competent science education on diabetes.

For more information, contact Jaymee Johnson-White, program manager for the SKC Indigenous Math and Science Institute, at (406) 275-4800 or email Jaymee_Johnson-White@skc.edu.

Tribes contribute billions to state economy

by Ron Selden

Tribal college, government, and housing authority payrolls contribute about $2.2 billion a year to the state of Montana's overall economy, according to a new study. Each of those dollars circulates approximately five times in local and regional markets, according to Robert J. Swan of RJS & Associates, the consulting firm that conducted the study for the State-Tribal Economic Development Commission. "It [tribal contributions to the economy] runs into the many billions when you look at it all," he said. The commission is an advisory panel created by the 1999 Montana Legislature to explore ways to improve reservation economies.

Swan noted the $2.2 billion figure doesn't include tribal government expenditures for goods and services or federal agency payrolls and work-related expenditures.

The study found that tribal colleges on five of the state's seven reservations have total annual budgets of about $27.5 million. Two colleges -- the Crow Reservation's Little Big Horn College and the Northern Cheyenne Reservation's Chief Dull Knife College -- did not provide budget data to the investigators.

Six of the seven tribal colleges reported a total of 4,110 full-time students last year. Indian students outnumbered non-Indian students 2,100 to 551, and females outnumbered males at the colleges 2,138 to 1,592, the study shows.

As part of the study, tribal college administrators and staff members were asked to complete questionnaires on reservation economic development. "The state of Montana needs to recognize that the seven Indian reservations exist and to make a conscientious effort to work more diligently with the various tribal entities for the good of ALL residents of Montana," one anonymous commentator wrote. Another respondent criticized lawmakers for not providing adequate funding for non-Indians who attend tribal colleges.

The $46,000 study examined tribal government and private business operations, existing infrastructure and infrastructure needs, land base and land use, employment and unemployment rates, banking services and education systems, among other topics.

The report has drawn criticism from some quarters for its lack of detail. Swan said his study team was hampered by a variety of factors, including the fact that several tribal governments were changing administrations during the study period, which slowed down or in some cases halted the flow of information. In addition, he said, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service, with one exception, refused to cooperate with the study. The combined complications caused the 300-page study to go over budget by about $20,000, which the firm was forced to absorb, according to Swan. He said part of the difficulty accessing information came from inherent tribal distrust of state government.

Sec. Paige meets tribal college presidents

Tribal college presidents met with Secretary of Education Rod Paige Feb. 11 to thank him for his support of the White House Initiative for Tribal Colleges and Universities (WHITCU). They presented him with an American Indian College Fund Pendleton wool blanket depicting the tree of life. "We serve a group of people many have forgotten. We believe the education of tribal college students is important to the tree of education," said American Indian Higher Education Consortium President Dr. James Shanley. "In fact, we think it cannot grow without our students."

Paige emphasized the administration's commitment to tribal colleges, saying that President George W. Bush has proposed increasing funding for all minority institutions under Title 3 of the Higher Education Act. He said the administration also supports the American Indian Teacher Corps, a program to increase the number of Indian teachers. Paige, whose great, great grandfather was a Choctaw Indian, said he has elevated the WHITCU office within the department to make tribal colleges and universities a higher priority.

AIHEC Executive Director Dr. Gerald Gipp (left) and Dr. James Shanley (right) presented Sec. Rod Paige with a Pendleton blanket.

Fort Peck offering e-commerce training

by Ron Selden

Fort Peck Community College in Poplar, MT, is jumping into cyberspace with a new associate arts degree in Internet commerce. The U.S. Department of Education provided start-up money with a $377,575 Native American vocational-technical grant. The three-year grant will also help fund expanded coursework in other computer technology, heavy equipment operation, truck driving, various building trades, surveying and other fields, said Deborah Little Sun, the college's academic vice president.

The e-commerce program, which began last semester, is being directed by Shawn Crawford, a Fort Peck tribal member who previously served as executive director of the Counting Coup Indian Arts Cooperative in Missoula. The Fort Peck program will be expanded in the fall to include courses on e-commerce law and ethics, legal issues, financing and marketing, Crawford said. A main focus will be on teaching entrepreneurs how to navigate on the often-confusing Internet and expand their businesses into national and even international markets.

"The whole idea for e-commerce is ideal for reservations and rural Montana in general because of the isolation," Crawford said. Starting up a business on the Internet requires a much smaller investment than opening a traditional storefront, she said, and Internet retailers can potentially reach a huge audience of consumers.

Crawford, who recently earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Montana, is teaching the first course and developing the degree curriculum. She's also organizing a series of community workshops to teach area residents how to set up web pages and perform other technical tasks. The workshops will have a "shorter-term, more-intense" format than the college courses, said Little Sun.

"We have a lot of talented people in the area who want to expand their businesses." Many newcomers to the Internet find it too intimidating. The workshops and classes will help beginners feel at ease, as well as sharpening the skills of those already familiar with the basics.

President Bush signed legislation last fall that gives another two-year extension to the ban on Internet-related taxation, a move that Crawford said will likely fuel e-business expansion. Once fully developed, the degree program will allow students to earn a two-year certification in online commerce. It will be designed for students who either want to set up their own businesses or manage firms owned by others.

Si Tanka/Huron receives accreditation

Si Tanka/Huron University was notified in February that its accreditation had been approved by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Another comprehensive site visit is scheduled in two years.

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe chartered the Cheyenne River Community College in Eagle Butte, SD, in 1973, and then the college changed its name in July 1999 to honor one of its leaders, Si Tanka (Bigfoot). The college had never been accredited. In 1999, the college submitted its self-study to the accreditation authorities, and it was later granted candidate status in 2000.

In May 2001, the small tribal college bought Huron University, a private, accredited four-year university in the northeastern corner of the state. Because the combined institutions offer four-year degrees, the accreditation was for four years. "Hard work and determination paid off," said Kenneth Provost, interim president of the institution. Provost was one of the founders of the Cheyenne River Community College.

Fort Berthold uses blocks to improve retention

With the help of a Bush Foundation Faculty Development Grant, Fort Berthold Community College's (FBCC) faculty, academic dean, students and staff gathered last summer (2001) to address the critical issue of student attendance, student burnout, and student retention. Students tended to burn out toward the end of the 15-week semester. After brainstorming, the participants considered radically changing the system.

For many years, the tribal college in New Town, ND, offered summer school in a condensed format; a semester's credit earned in five weeks. Would it be feasible to do this during a regular fall and spring semester? By dividing each semester into three five-week sessions, the committee realized that many three credit-hour classes could easily be offered in two-hour blocks for four days per week. The required contact minutes would be met with minutes to spare.

In the fall of 2001, FBCC put the new schedule into effect. At first, some students were reluctant. After trying it, they realized they could finish two or three classes in five weeks and then move on to a new set of classes. They were able to focus better on the class material because they didn't have to juggle five or six classes. The block scheduling also benefited instructors, who could offer more classes without feeling overloaded.

The block system has increased attendance, grades, and retention, according to Delores Wilkenson of FBCC. Students reported feeling more successes during a semester; they receive their grades at the end of each five-week session. Many students feel they can better see "the light at the end of the tunnel" when the tunnel is only five weeks long. Students have become so used to the system, they are starting to refer to "a block, a double block (a 10 week long class meet twice per week for 2 hours) and a triple block (a 15 week-full semester class).

The new block scheduling system is constantly being monitored and evaluated by the administration, faculty, and students. Because of positive feedback to date, FBCC entered the spring semester 2002 again using this scheduling system.