Volume 19 Winter 2007 Issue No. 2
In This Issue:
Tribal College Students Today
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ON CAMPUS
Fond du Lac Reorganizes College in Cloquet, MN
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is reorganizing into two separate colleges to enhance programs and services to students and area residents, officials of the two institutions announced in May. Both colleges intend to offer classes at the existing college campus in Cloquet, MN.
To solidify the new structure, each college is seeking separate accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Under the new arrangement, Fond du Lac Tribal College will be governed by the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s Tribal College Board.
Fond du Lac Community College will operate within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The accreditation process, which is expected to be completed in 2008, will be largely invisible to students.
The Tribal College Board appointed Patty Petite, previously the accreditation coordinator for the tribal college, as president and Donna Statzell, former director of institutional research at College of Menominee Nation (Keshena, WI) as vice president for academic affairs. Donald Day, current president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, will continue as president of the community college.
The reorganization is occurring because the tribal college board wants to ensure that future funding for the tribal college is available from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The federal legislation that the BIA operates under requires that 51% of the students must be American Indian.
The current structure has been in effect since the college was created in 1987 under an agreement with the Fond du Lac Band and the state of Minnesota.
Students on the Prowl For West Nile Culprits
 MOSQUITO BUSTING. Fort Belknap College student interns collect mosquitoes for West Nile Virus testing. |
A student intern at Fort Belknap College (FBC, Harlem, MT) collected the first mosquitoes that tested positive for the West Nile Virus in the state of Montana in 2003. Since then FBC’s student interns have been actively involved in the mosquito surveillance program for the state.
Each year from June until September, interns use carbon dioxide traps to collect mosquitoes one day a week, which are shipped to Montana State University at Bozeman for sorting and identification. The culex tarsalis (bird-feeding mosquito that carries the virus) are then sent on to the public health laboratory in Helena, MT, for viral detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology.
The information is then collated by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for reporting on the status of the West Nile Virus in the United States. This is a collaborative effort that involves Fort Belknap College and collection sites in various counties throughout the state.
The current student interns, Pete Stiffarm and Maxbiya Yat Gan, were responsible for the trapping and were involved in larvalciding (killing larva) on the reservation in an attempt to suppress the emergence of adult mosquitoes. This activity involved identification of the mosquito life history and applying the larvalcide at the appropriate time into the dead water of areas in and around the Milk River and into ponds on the reservation.
The students use GPS technology and are currently making maps of areas treated or affected by West Nile mosquitoes. The students conducted hands-on research while also learning to care for the health and land of their community.
American Indian Theatre
Alive and Well at CMN
By Ryan Winn
The last week of their summer semester, the College of Menominee Nation (CMN, Keshena, WI) presented two short plays by decorated Assiniboine playwright William S. Yellow Robe, Jr. The plays, The Body Guards and Sneaky, are both comedies that depict death and grieving on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Wolf Point, MT.
CMN has produced plays before, but this summer marked the first showing of the college’s Theatre Production course: THE201. Theatre Production is a fine arts elective for students, and the course’s objective is to create American Indian theatrical productions for the benefit of the students and the college community. Many families, friends, and community members gathered at the college’s Green Bay campus on the evenings of July 25-27 to witness this inaugural event in CMN’s history.
The Theatre Production course is unique in that every aspect of the productions is designed and executed by the students. As in most acting courses, every student enrolled is required to study Stanislavski’s theories of method acting, and then the class auditions for various roles in the productions.
However, what makes this course different is that the students auditioned for both acting and technical roles. Once the production is cast, the actors rehearse while the course’s technical staff creates the set, props, posters, programs, costumes, and sound design. Slowly but surely, all of these elements come together and create a unified theatrical production.
The success of the summer Theatre Production class was not only evident in the show’s attendance and reception but also in the enthusiasm of the students. These students were selfless with their time in creating the show. They also capitalized upon the opportunity to both entertain their community and then to recruit prospective students to the college during the receptions that followed each production. This production went a long way in proving that nothing brings a community together like the performing arts.
For information, contact Ryan Winn, English and Theatre faculty member, at College of Menominee Nation, (800) 567-2344, ext 3070.
Diné College Enhances Student Research Skills
By Ed McCombs
 PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCHERS. Dr. Mark C. Bauer and Dr. Edward Garrison, faculty at Diné College, with the student researchers they directed over the summer. Courtesy Photo. |
Eleven Navajo students participated in the “Summer Research Enhancement Program” (SREP) in public health research at Diné College (DC, Tsaile, AZ). Developed to provide hands-on practical training in the design and implementation of public health research projects, the SREP program began in 2000. Mark C. Bauer, Ph.D., of the DC faculty has been the director since then.
DC is in the second year of a 4-year collaborative project with Mayo Clinic, funded by the National Cancer Institute. The collaboration added a new cancer focus option to the SREP program. Thus, seven students focused on diabetes public health research, and four students focused on cancer public health research. Edward R. Garrison, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the DC faculty, directed the cancer focus option.
The program began in June with a Hooghan ceremony conducted by Ferlin Clark, president of DC, and Jack C. Jackson, Sr., DC’s director of legislative and cultural affairs. This was followed by 3 weeks of intensive classroom and computer lab activities, which included lectures on diabetes, cancer, and research methods, and then evening computer labs on organization and analysis of data.
Each student completed a 6-week practicum in either a diabetes program or a cancer program in his or her own home community. The students worked with the program staff to identify and analyze a set of anonymous public health data as part of their training experience.
The program ended on August 10 with an individual formal presentation by each student about his or her practicum experience with a focus on the analysis and findings of the site data.
DC has been successful in fundraising to support its SREP program. This year’s program was supported by the National Institutes of Health (MBRS-RISE program and the National Cancer Institute) and by funding from the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.
For more information, contact Ed McCombs, Office of Marketing and Public Relations, Diné College by phone (928) 724-6635 or by email emccombs@dinecollege.edu
FBC Library Hosts Wild About Harry Potter Event
 DESIGNING MAGICAL FLOWERS. Participants included (left to right, seated) Eduardo Velazquez, Carol Collins (Girl Scout troop leader), Philomayne Tucker, Gail Ereaux (FBC college student), and Corbin Brockie. Standing is Gabriele McCubbrey, also a Girl Scout troop leader. Photo by Eva English. |
On a magical day in July 2007, the “Wild About Harry” event was held at the Fort Belknap College Library (FBC, Harlem, MT). Thirty-five “muggles” of all ages attended, including one who was driven 30 miles by his grandmother. The first 20 participants received a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the Harry Potter series.
The participants made wizard hats, magic wands, broomsticks, magical pencils, potions, and flowers, and had their fortunes read at the “Divinations Station.” Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was shown for everyone who wanted to watch.
The event came about through FBC Library’s listing on www.adoptalibrary.org, which was seen by an interested Girl Scouts troop leader in Michigan. FBC Librarian Eva English hosted the group. For coordinating the event, Liz McCubbrey earned her Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest Girl Scout award for her age level. English says, “College students read the Harry Potter series, and Steve Gives, the library's summer work study student, is a big fan.”
The event was sponsored by Girl Scout Troop 1602 of the Huron Valley Council, Ann Arbor, MI, and by a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
For more information, contact Eva English, FBC Librarian, by calling (406) 353-2607 or by email at fortbelknaplibrary@yahoo.com.
Elbert Cly Recognized As Nation’s Best Archer
Diné College archer Elbert Cly was recognized with four separate honors during the awards ceremony of the 2007 United States’ Inter-collegiate Archery Championship (USIAC) in early summer. The USIAC was a three-day tournament hosted at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in southern Illinois.
First-year archer Cly earned a 7th place ranking in the Olympic Round, an event which involved the nation’s top 64 Olympic-recurve archers. Cly was also identified as the nation’s Best New Male Olympic-recurve Archer. He was named to the All-Academic Team for earning a 3.8 cumulative GPA while taking 20 credit hours and being in the nation’s top 25% of all Collegiate Male Olympic-recurve Archers. Cly also received the Clarke Sinclair Memorial Archery Scholarship from the Collegiate Archery Program.
Coach Greg Redhouse stated, “Elbert Cly has undoubtedly been a rookie-sensation this past academic year, and he shows the potential to be an even better shooter next season!”
Besides Cly, the 2007 DC Archery Team consisted of Marcus Largo, Jerry Manheimer, Amery Atene, Fray Gray, Harold Poorman, Elison Allen, Christina Wilson, Melissa Calamity, and Danielle Goldtooth. The team is currently ranked ninth in the nation and adds to the ongoing tradition for the Warriors -- being ranked in the top ten since 1974.
Federal Funds To Develop TCU Programs, Facilities
U.S. Sens. Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan and U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy announced nearly $2.1 million in federal grants to five North Dakota tribal colleges. “Our Native American students deserve every opportunity to succeed in life. A key to that success is a quality education. These funds will enable students at North Dakota tribal colleges to pursue an education and work towards achieving their dreams,” the delegation said in a joint statement.
Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC, Belcourt, ND) was awarded a $195,176 grant through the U.S. Department of Education’s Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program to develop a computer science program at the school. “In today’s high-tech economy, this grant is great news for Turtle Mountain. This is an economic development grant as well as an education grant,” the delegation said in a joint statement. “This funding will help raise the computer proficiency of Turtle Mountain students and also increase the number of computer-literate, highly skilled tech employees in North Dakota.”
TMCC is working with Valley City State College to develop both a 2-year and a 4-year Computer Science program leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree.
Another set of grants was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Tribal Colleges and Universities Program: Sitting Bull College (Fort Yates, ND) received $600,000; Cankdeska Cikana Community College (Fort Totten, ND) received $599,309; and Fort Berthold Community College (New Town, ND) received $391,881. The funds will allow the schools to expand and renovate facilities.
In addition, United Tribes Technical College (UTTC, Bismarck, ND) was awarded $299,512 by the Department of Justice to combat campus crime. Specifically, UTTC will partner with the Abused Adult Resource Center, Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bismarck Police Department to prevent violent crimes against women on campus.
For information, contact Sean Neary (Conrad) at telephone number (202)224-2043, Brenden Timpe (Dorgan) at telephone number (202)224-0140, or Sandra Salstrom (Pomeroy) at telephone number (202) 225-2611.
NWIC Gets Candidacy For 4-Year Bachelor Degree
Northwest Indian College (NWIC, Bellingham, WA) recently passed a significant milestone toward expanding into a 4-year environmental degree. Its accreditation agency, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), granted the tribal college candidacy status for its Bachelor of Science degree in Native Environmental Science.
NWIC was also granted accreditation to offer an Associate of Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) in Early Childhood Education (ECE) degree program, effective fall 2007. These program expansions are helping to fulfill NWIC's overall strategic plan.
“Native people have incredible scientific and environmental knowledge to share as we explore how to live on the earth in a good way. This degree honors that knowledge while exposing our students to the tools and resources of Western science,” NWIC President Cheryl Crazy Bull says.
The A.A.S.-Transfer degree in Early Childhood Education is designed for people pursuing careers in the early child care and education field. With a strong emphasis in early childhood, students are prepared for positions as lead teachers and for a variety of other employment opportunities in Head Start, child care, and other birth-to-six programs.
NWCCU is the regional accrediting agency responsible for monitoring the accreditation status of colleges and universities in a multi-state region including the state of Washington. NWIC will host an evaluation committee in the fall of 2008.
NWIC has also initiated a new training program that provides hands-on experience servicing slot machines. Students will also learn gaming laws and regulations, such as the difference between Class I and Class III gaming. Instructors include slot technicians currently employed at the Tulalip Casino.
This new program is considered a capstone course, which means the course is taught after a series of pre-requisite classes are completed by the students. Through a joint venture, classes are offered at Everett Community College and NWIC-Tulalip.
“We’re very excited to assist tribal communities we serve whenever we see an opportunity. That was the main goal of the tribal college movement,” said NWIC President Crazy Bull.
In May, NWIC hosted the Revitalization Salish and Neighboring Language Conference. It was the first conference for Native language teachers in the state of Washington since landmark government-to-government legislation created a separate certification for Native language teachers in Washington state schools. The conference was funded through grants made by the Puyallup, Lummi, Tulalip, Quinault, and Suquamish Tribes.
For information, contact Aaron Thomas, director of public relations, Northwest Indian College by phone at (360) 410-9304, email at athomas@nwic.edu, or visit www.nwic.edu.
OLC Honors 12 Artists, Oglala Lakota Veterans
By Marilyn E. Pourier
 OGLALA WAR VETERANS MONUMENT. Bronze statues of a male and a female veteran flank plaques which contain over 1,800 names of veterans from WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Photo courtesy of Oglala Lakota College staff. |
Oglala Lakota College (OLC, Kyle, SD) dedicated the Oglala Lakota Veterans Monument and featured Oglala Lakota artists throughout the summer at its Piya Wiconi campus.
The series promoted public awareness of the arts of the Oglala Lakota people of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the surrounding area and educated people to the richness and the importance of the arts to the Lakota culture and traditions.
The artist series featured: Luke Dubray, Diane Comes, Tilda St. Pierre, and Stephanie Sorbel – beadwork; Don Ruleaux – water color; Genevieve Bluebird, Ed Two Bulls, Jr., and Daniel Long Soldier – acrylics, Donald Montileaux – color pencil; Sam Two Bulls – mixed media; Echo Red Bear and Fred Menard – quill/beadwork.
The OLC Historical Center contains a prominent display of art and photographs that chronicle the history of the Oglala Lakota from the early 1800s to the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890. An audiotape of this history provides greater meaning to the displays.
The Oglala Lakota Veterans Monument was unveiled at the Piya Wiconi Administrative Headquarters southwest of Kyle, SD. The monument contains over 1,800 names on bronze plaques of Oglala Lakota veterans from World War I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. In addition to the plaques, two life size bronze statues of a male and female Lakota veteran were unveiled. Randall Blaze (Lakota) created the bronze figures, and OLC’s construction students built the concrete wall and installed the plaques.
Captain Tasha Standing Soldier (Oglala Lakota) AFSC: 43P3, pharmacist, gave the keynote speech. She is currently stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base and is assigned to the 28th Medical Support Group Squadron. She was born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation. She received her Associate of Arts in Life Sciences at OLC in 2002. In 2006 she received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree. She is a member of the American Pharmacist Association and of Kappa Epsilon. Upon graduation, she was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force.
A special honoring was made for Ola Millie Rexroat (Oglala Lakota) who served as a pilot during WWII as a member of the WASPs. After the WASP program ceased to exist, she worked as an air traffic controller until retiring. Rexroat was presented with an Honorary Degree in Lakota Leadership from OLC.
Ola’s experiences in World War II included flying the T6, single-engine plane, which was towing a large target at 150 miles per hour with a 70-foot cable. Other planes were flying close enough to her plane to shoot at the target. There were incidents in which the T6 single-engine planes were shot down during the target-shooting exercises.
“American Indians have had the highest rate of service of any racial group in defending this country, and Oglala Lakota College is showing its appreciation and gratitude for the Oglala war veterans with the monument,” stated President Thomas Shortbull (Oglala Lakota).
OLC is a 4-year tribal college with nine college centers on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, one on the Cheyenne River Reservation, and a learning center in Rapid City, serving over 1,400 students a semester.
For more information, contact Development Director Marilyn E. Pourier by phone at (605) 455-6000 or visit www.olc.edu.
Alumni Progress Report Cites High Satisfaction
Researchers have interviewed scholarship recipients to find out how their tribal colleges and their scholarships served them and helped them prepare for employment and further education. Their report points to the benefits students received from tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) as well as the importance of financial aid received from a variety of sources.
Commissioned by the American Indian College Fund, the report (Championing Success: A Report on the Progress of Tribal College and University Alumni) was prepared by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP). A total of 247 graduates were included. Highlights of the report include the following:
Nearly all (91%) of the scholarship recipients interviewed were non-traditional students, meaning they had dependents, were older than 24, had not been enrolled continuously, worked full time while enrolled, or a combination of more than two of these characteristics.
Most of the recipients were employed (60%) and/or had pursued further education (47%) since graduation. A substantial proportion (22%) were working and going to school simultaneously.
Seventy-one percent of graduates who were working reported that their education was good or excellent preparation for employment; 69% of those continuing their education believed their TCU provided good or excellent preparation for further education.
Eighty-six percent of respondents were satisfied with the courses in their major or field of study. Further, 83% were satisfied with their contact with faculty and administrators; 82% were satisfied with the overall quality of instruction; and 78% were satisfied with curricula on tribal culture.
While many scholarships limit funds usage, recipients used funding from the American Indian College Fund in a variety of ways. Most commonly, recipients used their scholarships for living expenses (77%), books and supplies (66%), transportation (58%), and tuition and fees (56%).
The primary authors were Courtney McSwain and Alisa Cunningham at IHEP. The report can be downloaded from the College Fund’s website, www.collegefund.org/news/publications.html
Nine TCUs Get Title III Grants from Education
Tribally controlled colleges and universities in Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin have been selected to receive grants totaling $11,982,128 to assist their efforts to improve and expand their capacity to serve American Indian students, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced in early August.
“Tribal colleges and universities provide thousands of students the education foundation they need to be successful in the workforce and in life,” said Spellings, “They also perform a valuable service by helping to preserve the languages and rich cultural traditions of American Indians.”
The grant awards, provided for under Title III of the Higher Education Act, are intended to help tribal colleges and universities plan activities and develop new capabilities to improve and expand their capacity to serve American Indian students.
Little Big Horn College (Crow Agency, MT) received $1,199,531; Chief Dull Knife College (Lame Deer, MT) received $450,000; Navajo Technical College (Crownpoint, NM) received $475,000; Institute of American Indian Arts (Santa Fe, NM) received $1,499,893; Turtle Mountain Community College (Belcourt, ND) received $2,125,000.
United Tribes Technical College (Bismarck, ND) received $1,952,951; Fort Berthold Community College (New Town, ND) received $1,639,753; Oglala Lakota College (Kyle, SD) received $1,650,000; and College of Menominee Nation (Keshena, WI) received $990,000.
More information about U.S. Department of Education support for tribally controlled colleges and universities is available at www.ed.gov/about/inits/list/whtc/edlite-links.html For information, contact Tom Beaver, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Department of Education by email at tom.beaver@ed.gov, or by telephone at (816)268-0403.
TCUs Create Innovative Accountability Measures
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) has launched the first comprehensive attempt to define and measure American Indian college student success. The first in a series of annual reports is now available.
AIHEC initiated the project in 2003 with a grant from Lumina Foundation for Education. “As demands for accountability increase at the nation’s colleges, the importance of collecting and analyzing student data grows exponentially,” says Martha D. Lamkin, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation.
AIHEC created “American Indian Measures for Success in Higher Education” to provide that accountability. “The tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) wanted a system that would report the college’s performance to not only funders and accreditation agencies but also to students, the community, and the institution itself,” according to AIHEC Board Chair Cheryl Crazy Bull.
“A measurement that works for a federal agency may not tell the program director, the college president, or the community whether the college is serving their needs,” says Crazy Bull, a Sicangu Lakota woman who is also the president of Northwest Indian College (Bellingham, WA).
“AIHEC continues to provide strong leadership and commitment toward Lumina's goal of access and success in education beyond high school by working to define measures of success like these,” adds Lamkin.
The project’s first challenge 4 years ago was defining the data that needed to be collected and then figuring out how to collect it. At the time, the tribal colleges and universities collected graduation numbers but not retention numbers. Because they have unique missions, the colleges needed not only these numbers but many others to accurately reflect their progress.
An advisory committee of national and local experts developed 45 different success indicators, and AIHEC contracted with Systemic Research, Inc., of Norwood, MA, to establish a system together with the colleges to collect the data for these indicators. The results are published in a 215-page fact book.
Because numbers alone cannot convey success, the report also includes vignettes of students and institutions telling their stories.
Lumina Foundation for Education is an Indianapolis-based, private foundation dedicated to expanding access and success in education beyond high school for all students, particularly underserved students. www.luminafoundation.org
For more info, contact Al Kuslikis at AIHEC (703) 298.3951 or email akuslikis@aihec.org. See the report at www.aihec.org/reports.cfm.
United Tribes Now Offers Community Health Degree
Based on Information provided by Dennis J. Neumann
 BACK ON PAVEMENT. After pedaling narrow trails in the hot sun, the UTTC group felt both satisfied and disappointed to be returning to Medora. From left: former student health center nurse Joanie Ramey Neumann; students Chris New Holy, Gilbert Perkins, and Lonnie Tallman; Dakota Cyclery guide Jennifer Morlock; and student Duane Jackson. Photo by Dennis Neumann. |
Beginning this fall, United Tribes Technical College (UTTC, Bismarck, ND) is offering a new career and technical education program in the field of Community Health. The program builds on the success of the college’s 10-year-old Injury Prevention program. It integrates the former curriculum and expands into the wider field of Community Health.
Phil Baird, vice president of Career and Technical Education, said, “The new program will provide the knowledge and skill sets needed for graduates to serve in the Community Health field.”
Coursework in the UTTC degree will include a wide range of health topics, including environmental science, injury prevention, gerontology, medical terminology, multicultural health, nutrition, and personal and consumer health.
To assist students in transferring to a 4-year college or university, UTTC is exploring articulation agreements with similar programs of study at Minnesota’s Bemidji State University and other institutions that offer bachelor degrees in community health.
An outing on mountain bikes in the Badlands put some UTTC students on a healthy lifestyle trail. To Lonnie Tallman the choppy buttes of the Little Missouri River Valley aren’t much different than the hills at his grandma’s place on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Tallman was familiar with riding bike across prairie trails, up and down ravines, and through creeks and washouts. “It’s good to get out. To see nature,” says Tallman, who began studying Construction Technology at UTTC in January.
The 1-day trip was organized by the United Tribes Strengthening Lifestyles Program, part of the college’s Department of Community Wellness Services. The riders were outfitted with the TREK brand of mountain bikes, which were purchased by the program as part of its mission to challenge students with regular activities that promote fitness.
To pursue an adventure in that environment UTTC called on Dakota Cyclery, a business that caters to mountain bikers who want to challenge the terrain on “two-wheeled ponies.” Co-owner Jennifer Morlock, an experienced mountain biker, served as leader and guide for a 10 mile ride. The route, from Buffalo Gap to Medora, ND, is an offshoot of the Maah Daah Hey Trail, a popular 96-mile recreational trail.
According to a trail information guide, Maah Daah Hey is from the Mandan language for “Grandfather” or “long-lasting,” as in things that have been around for a long time and deserve respect. Paths throughout the region were worn into the earth by the steady passing of wildlife, cattle, and buffalo, and are said to have been routes used by American Indians.
Perhaps the fittest rider, Duane Jackson, had no trouble with the heat or keeping pace with Morlock. Jackson, a student from Spirit Lake who studies Automotive Service Technology, said, “I’d do it everyday if I could.” He credited his endurance to daily two mile runs and weight lifting in the UTTC wellness center.
For more information about the United Tribes Community Health Program contact Michelle Schoenwald (701) 255-3285 x 1258, mschoenwald@uttc.edu or Larry Carlson x 1350, lcarlson@uttc.edu. For other information call (701) 255-3285 x 1293, or visit www.uttc.edu.
Sitting Bull Builds New Entrepreneurial Center
The new campus at Sitting Bull College (SBC, Fort Yates, ND) reached another milestone with the start of construction in September on a new $3.4 million Entrepreneurial Center. In 1999, the college kicked off a $40 million capital campaign to build a new campus, which so far has provided two new academic facilities, a public transit center that provides service to the entire reservation, a cultural center, and 18 student-family housing units, all of which are located on the new campus.
“This new Entrepreneurial Center means a great deal to not only our students, faculty, and staff but to the Standing Rock Reservation, especially the professional business community,” said Laurel Vermillion, president of Sitting Bull College.
Much of the planning for this new business-oriented facility began in 1999 at the start of the capital campaign, but it wasn’t until recently the college was able to secure enough funding to begin construction.
With the help of numerous private donations and several large grant awards from the USDA Rural Development department of North Dakota and the U.S Department of Education (Title III), administrators decided to start construction of the new facility and not hold a groundbreaking ceremony this fall since several have occurred already on the new campus.
“It’s been a long time coming, and we are anxious to get this facility built and up and running,” said Koreen Ressler, vice president of academics and project manager for the new campus project.
SBC is working with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST) in an ongoing partnership between the college’s Tribal Business Information Center and the tribe’s Business Equity Loan Fund. With this new facility and all its planned technology, college officials will be able to work even closer with the SRST to spur economic growth for the local area.
The new 16,000-square-foot facility will house four classrooms, 12 employee offices, a computer laboratory, a conference room, and six business incubator spaces, with one wing of the building housing the Entrepreneurial Center and the other wing housing the SBC academic programs, including the 2-year and 4-year business administration programs.
“Although we are starting construction of the Entrepreneurial Center, we still need to raise additional funds for other building projects associated with the new campus project,” Ressler said. Other projects for the new campus include a Student Support Center (Phase I), Financial Operations Center, and student dormitories (men and women).
For more information, contact the college’s Resource Development Office at (701) 854-8000 or email info@sbci.edu.
USDA Grants Support TCU Libraries, Child Care
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced in August the award of nearly $4 million in grants to 14 tribal colleges in seven states. The funds are being provided through the USDA Rural Development Tribal College Grant program.
“Education is an effective economic development tool,” Johanns said. “The grants to these institutions are one of the many ways Rural Development helps rural communities provide for their economic, business, and social needs.”
The funding will help tribal colleges purchase equipment, build or renovate classrooms, make needed repairs, and finance infrastructure improvements.
For example, the College of Menominee Nation (Keshena, WI) will receive $350,000 to buy furniture and fixtures for the library. Northwest Indian College (Bellingham, WA) will use $45,700 to equip a new child daycare building. Sitting Bull College (Fort Yates, ND) will receive $350,000 to construct a financial operations center.
Other grantees and their awards are: Leech Lake Tribal College (Cass Lake, MN) – $162,000, Oglala Lakota College (Kyle, SD) – $350,000, Northwest Indian College (Bellingham, WA ) – $304,000, Turtle Mountain Community College (Belcourt, ND) – $350,000; Bay Mills Community College (Brimley, MI) – $223,000, Stone Child College (Box Elder, MT) – $350,000, Chief Dull Knife College (Lame Deer, MT) – $150,000, Fort Belknap College (Harlem, MT) – $180,000, Blackfeet Community College (Browning, MT) – $350,000, Salish Kootenai College (Pablo, MT) – $300,000, Little Bighorn College (Crow Agency, MT) – $350,000, Fort Peck Community College (Poplar, MT) – $153,125.
USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents.
Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.
 MAORI DANCE GROUP. The 38th annual powwow at United Tribes Technical College in September featured Kahurangi, which means Cloak from Heaven. The Maori Dance Theatre from New Zealand demonstrated Maori and Polynesian culture and life ways in their performances. Kahurangi brings to life the ihi (life force) through songs and dances. They presented genealogical chants, martial arts techniques, powerful songs, and pride in being Maori. Photo courtesy of Kahurangi. |
SIPI Builds Childhood Education Center/ Lab
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) has constructed a 7,000-square-foot Early Childhood Education Center on its campus in Albuquerque, NM. In order to meet New Mexico’s need for highly qualified early childhood teachers, the college established an Associate of Arts degree program in Early Childhood Education that meets New Mexico state licensure requirements and is fully transferable to 4-year degree programs in New Mexico and elsewhere.
The new center will serve as an early childhood laboratory school and as a licensed practicum site for pre-service teachers. It is designed to provide quality childcare for low- and moderate-income students attending SIPI, staff and faculty of SIPI, and other federal employees.
Designed in the Pueblo architectural style, the building features a kitchen to provide meals for the children, as well as healthy cooking demonstrations for parents. U.S. Department of Energy funds are being used to purchase and install solar electric panels to generate sustainable power and reduce energy consumption for the building and the campus.
The total estimated cost of the project is $2.5 million. Funds were provided by the U.S. Department of Education ($1,109,952), U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development ($400,000), U.S. Department of Agriculture ($248,820), U.S. Department of Energy ($20,000), the American Indian College Fund ($395,000), and the State of New Mexico ($410,000).
The building was designed by Dyron Murphy Architects, Inc. It was constructed by Michael S. Rich Contractors, Inc. Project management was provided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Facilities Management and Construction and Dyron Murphy Architects, Inc.
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute is a national Indian community college operated by the Bureau of Indian Education, U.S. Department of the Interior. Founded in 1971, SIPI is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and provides career technical training and two-year transfer degree programs to all 550 federally recognized tribes in the United States.
Tribal College Community Names in the News
Elvis Old Bull, Jr., is a 2007 LBHC graduate and Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar. He now attends Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Courtesy Photo. |
Elvis Old Bull, Jr. (Crow), a graduate of Little Big Horn College (LBHC, Crow Agency, MT), was named a 2007 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar for Men’s Basketball, Second Team. He earned a 3.4 GPA during the Fall 2006 semester at LBHC. Old Bull, Jr. graduated in spring 2007 with an associate degree in Business Administration and was the Region IX Conference Scoring Leader last season. The Arthur Ashe Sports Scholars were featured in the April 5, 2007, issue of Diverse magazine.
Juanita Pahdopony (Comanche), instructor, poet, and artist, also interim dean of academics at Comanche Nation College (Lawton, OK) was among several featured artists in the “American Icons Through Indigenous Eyes” art exhibit curated by Suzan Shown Harjo for the District of Columbia Arts Center in Washington, DC. Pahdopony showed several works: her version of a Comanche map from more than a century ago and a mixed media decrying the war against Indigenous people at the southern border, among others.
RICHARD WILLIAMS. The American Indian College Fund president and CEO received a Doctor of Humane letters from Roger Williams University in May, 2007. Courtesy Photo. |
Richard Williams (Oglala Lakota), president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund since 1997, was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters, by Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI, on May 19. Roger Williams University President Roy J. Nirschel said, “Mr. Williams’s commitment to spreading knowledge and understanding of American Indian culture and advancing educational opportunities for young American Indians serves as an example to all of our graduates.”
As the leader of the American Indian College Fund, Williams helps award more than 6,000 scholarships to American Indian students to attend a tribal college or university each year.
Dr. Denise Low-Weso is the new Poet Laureate of Kansas. Her term began July 1, 2007, and ends June 30, 2009. Low-Weso is the interim dean of the College of Humanities and Arts at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS. Her poetry has been published in books, periodicals, and anthologies throughout the nation. She has also received local and national recognition from the Kansas Arts Commission, the Kansas Humanities Council, the Academy of American Poets, the Newberry Library, the Landon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Low-Weso was selected based on the following criteria: poetry excellence, professionalism, and her plan to advance poetry in Kansas. Low-Weso says, “I want to celebrate the many readers and poets across the state who sustain a life of the mind as well as deep love for the land,” she said.
“During these next several years, I hope to share my own excitement about poetry with our libraries, colleges, public schools, arts centers, and alliances, and reading groups.”
Stephen Fadden (Akwesasne Mohawk) is the Institute of American Indian Art’s (IAIA, Santa Fe, NM) National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Native American Humanities Scholar (NAHS) for the 2007-2008 academic year. Fadden will lead an innovative program implementing digital humanities research through the first visiting tribal college scholars program.
During his tenure as the NEH Scholar, Fadden will also strengthen the IAIA’s efforts to promote quality-driven humanities programming through online-based distance learning as a means of broadening the voice and perspectives of Indigenous people.
Fadden holds a Master’s Degree in Communications from Cornell University and brings 15 years of expertise in research, teaching, and distance education concerning Native American topics to his post.
Librarians Meet at MSU For Training Institute
Thirty eight librarians from 27 different tribal colleges and other institutions convened June 11-15, 2007, on the Montana State University (MSU) campus in Bozeman, MT, for the 13th annual Tribal College Librarians Professional Development Institute.
While most participants return each year, several new faces joined this year, including several from Canada: Antoinette McDonald, Terry Halsey, and Jeanie Rolland from Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Brenda Hopkins from Fort Belknap College, Pamela Donegan from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Patty Brown from Little Big Horn College, Kirk McLeod from Necchi Institute, Marty Frogg from Oglala Lakota College, Nora Stabs Down from Red Crow Community College, Ann Carr-Wiggens, and Tanya Rogoschewsky from the University of Alberta, and Janet Denys from Yellowhead College.
Presenters included Monica Martens from the National Indian Law Library, Siobhan Champ Blackwell and Gail Kouame from the National Library of Medicine, Jean Whitehorse from the New Mexico Tribal Libraries Program, Colleen Major from Columbia University, Gary McCone from the National Agriculture Library, Florence Garcia from the MSU TRiO program, Mike Jetty from the Montana Office of Public Instruction Indian Education Program, Saralyn Seburn and Sheree Watson representing MSU's Indian student recruitment efforts.
A few of the tribal college librarians also presented programs to their colleagues: Mary Weasel Fat, Victoria Beatty, David Stevick, and Holly Ristau. One librarian commented that it was valuable to her to come to a conference where so many other tribal colleges are represented. “I liked the burning issues discussions and (hearing) how other libraries are dealing with similar problems,” she said.
The Tribal College Librarians Institute is sponsored by the Montana State University Libraries each year under the coordination of Mary Anne Hansen and James Thull, MSU reference librarians. Next year's institute is scheduled for June 9-13, 2008, at MSU.
For more information about the institute, visit the website: www.lib.montana.edu/tcli/
Haskell Grass Research Switches from Military
By Darryl Monteau, NGP Intern
 NATIVE GRASS PROJECT. Historic Caddo switchgrass construction techniques were used in the Haskell arbor construction. Photo by Katrina McClure. |
Researchers at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU, Lawrence, KS) have switched the focus of their Native Grass Project (NGP) as a result of their studies. When the project began 2 years ago, the Haskell student interns’ research of the grass served dual purposes: It explored the cultural relevance of the grass while also testing whether the Army could use switchgrass to restore training grounds torn up by heavy machinery. The project included 50 switchgrass ecotypes gathered from a five-state region.
Last year, the project participants constructed a grass arbor using bundles of grass under the tutelage of Phil Cross, Caddo tribal member and builder of grass lodges. (See TCJ, Vol. 18, No. 1.) For tribal grass construction needs, robust switchgrass is desirable. Taller ecotypes with significant mass harvest bundles allow for the “lap-over” needed for water-proof and air-tight construction.
The switchgrass was not as desirable for the military. The tenacity of the grass along with its extensive root system are ideal to hold soil and can withstand most types of military training. However, to be “soldier friendly” the switchgrass would have to be short, only reaching heights of 3 feet to 4 feet at maturity.
In spring 2007, the Native Grass Project was extended for another year with a new research focus to revitalize and establish switchgrass. A nurse crop of switchgrass and companion grasses will be set up at the Fort Riley Military Installation near Junction City, KS, where it will be overseen by student interns and faculty.
The research design was developed by student interns and faculty with input from research associates representing the Engineering Research and Development Center/Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Cold Regions Research Engineering Laboratories, Fort Riley, and the Plant Materials Center.
The grass-thatched arbor on the Haskell campus now serves as an open-air classroom and a gathering space.
For more information about the Native Grass Project, contact the project co-principal investigators, Lorene Williams at (785)832-6688 or Bill Welton at bwelton@haskell.edu.