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Feasibility Study Finds Strong Demand for Tribal College in Eastern U.S. |
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BOSTON and NASHVILLE -- American Indian students east of the
Mississippi River want an intertribal college that serves their needs,
and the various Tribes are committed to pursue the establishment of
such a college, according to a federally funded study released this
week.
The year-long feasibility study was conducted jointly by the New
England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and the United South and
Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET). The USET region includes 24 federally
recognized Tribes from Maine to Florida to Texas.
The study was funded by the Office of Minority Health in the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. The study examined the
feasibility of establishing an intertribal college initially focused on
health sciences, technology and pre-medical education that will serve
the Tribes located in USET region. This new institution could include a
physical hub campus with numerous satellite-learning centers located on
reservations and in urban Indian centers.
The study combined a quantitative analysis of tribal demographics and
resources with Tribal “talking circles” and focus groups to glean
opinions from Tribal leaders, Tribal elders, health and education
directors, and students about the need for an intertribal college.
There are currently 35 tribal colleges in the United States. But the
only ones east of the Mississippi River are in the upper reaches of
Michigan — located far from most of the USET Tribes.
Among the study’s findings:
- There is high demand for trained tribal members to staff tribal
health clinics and provide health services in a culturally sensitive
manner.
- There are enough potential students, both young people and
adults, among the tribal populations in the East to sustain the
development and ongoing operation of an intertribal college.
- Tribal members in the East have strong desires to pursue higher
education and college degrees, including degrees in medicine and health
sciences professions.
- The overwhelming majority of Tribes have sufficient baseline
resources to facilitate the establishment of satellite-learning centers
where tribal members could engage in face-to-face instruction and in
distance learning.
- Tribal elders say an intertribal college must have culturally
relevant education as its core mission to help preserve the culture,
history and languages of Eastern Tribes, while preparing students to be
competitive in their career areas.
“The tribal leadership and elders are committed to developing a higher
education institution that meets the highest academic standards while
incorporating the unique history, culture and languages into the
curriculum,” said USET president Keller George.
NEBHE delegate Donna Loring, a member of the Penobscot Indian Nation
and former member of the Maine State Legislature noted, “There is an
obvious need for a Tribal college to be located east of the Mississippi
River. In order to move forward, there needs to be a place at the table
for every USET tribe.”
The study suggests that USET begin designing operational, financial and
curricular plans for an Eastern intertribal college and researching the
best location for the intertribal college.
For more information about the study, please contact Tiffany Cheuvront,
Bureau Information Officer with USET at chevy@uset.org or (615)
467-1553 or Fenna Hanes, senior director, office of programs at NEBHE,
at fhanes@nebhe.org or (617) 357-9620 x129.
NEBHE is a nonprofit, congressionally authorized agency whose mission
is to promote greater educational opportunities and services for the
residents of New England. NEBHE programs are principally focused on the
relationship between New England higher education and regional economic
development.
USET, Inc. is a non-profit, intertribal organization that collectively
represents its member Tribes at the regional and national level. Its
main function is to provide a forum for the exchange of information and
ideas among USET Tribes, government agencies and other American Indian
organizations. USET has grown to include twenty-four federally
recognized Tribes in its current membership.
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