[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S10512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BRING HOPE TO NATIVE PEOPLE

 Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I want to express my support for 
the 31 Tribal Colleges and Universities that provide hope to America's 
Native communities. The Tribal College movement began some 30 years ago 
and has a proven track record of success as an integral, viable part of 
Native American communities.
  I believe the Tribal Colleges are the nation's best kept secrets in 
higher education, and it saddens me to report that the Tribal Colleges 
are the nation's most underfunded institutions in higher education
  In comparison to the mainstream community colleges and universities 
system, the Tribal College movement is still in its infancy. Over a 30 
year period, Tribal Colleges have managed to change the social 
landscape of Indian country, operating on a shoe-string budget while 
maintaining full national collegiate accreditation standards.
  Tribal Colleges currently operate on a budget of forty percent less 
than what mainstream community colleges receive from government 
sources. This is a remarkable feat. Tribal Colleges continue to survive 
despite these and other difficulties such as problems in the 
recruitment and retention of faculty due to remote locations and 
inability to offer competitive salaries.
  Unlike other schools, Tribal Colleges do not receive automatic state 
funding for non-Indian students since they are located on Indian trust 
lands even though they provide GED, remedial and adult literacy 
programs for all students, and also doubling as community, cultural and 
child centers.
  Enrollment numbers exceed approximately 26,000 students being served, 
with growth rate averages of approximately eight percent per year. With 
this growth rate, these institutions must have adequate funding to meet 
the growing demands being placed on these tribal educational hubs.
  Tribal Colleges are experiencing an enrollment boom and with steady 
level-funding, will actually see the quality of services deteriorate. I 
am supportive of efforts to find and provide additional funds for 
Tribal Colleges as are many of my colleagues.
  Studies have shown that Tribal Colleges significantly decrease 
employment rates, substance abuse and teen pregnancy in some of the 
nation's poorest communities. More than forty percent of students who 
attend Tribal Colleges transfer to four-year institutions, and a 
majority of them return to assist their reservations after receiving 
their degrees.
  I would like to cite two examples of many success stories of the 
positive impact of the Tribal Colleges:
  Justin Finkbonner of the Lummi Nation graduated from Northwest Indian 
College in Bellingham, Washington with an Associate Arts Degree. Justin 
continued his education by transferring to complete a four-year 
Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Policy from the Huxley College of 
Environmental Studies at Western Washington University. Currently, he 
is serving as Morris K. Udall Foundation Native American Congressional 
Fellow this summer on Capitol Hill experiencing the legislative process 
with the intention to return to the Lummi Nation, help his people and 
one day achieve his goal of becoming a tribal leader.
  In his own words,

       The Northwest Indian College offered an academic setting 
     and curriculum that no other mainstream institution could 
     offer. For example, one would not receive Lummi tribal 
     history and Lummi language classes at their college, plus the 
     individual attention from faculty and staff to ensure my 
     success. These key differences from mainstream colleges and 
     universities still influence me to this day to aspire to 
     achieve my goals. I had never had that much encouragement and 
     support from this many people to show me that they car about 
     me and my future. I owe a great deal to the Tribal Colleges.

  Another success story: Julie Jefferson of the Nooksack tribe, forty-
five years old, a wife, a mother of three, a grandmother of five--she 
has worked at the Northwest Indian College for twelve years as an 
Administrative Assistant for Instructional Services. She is currently a 
full-time college employee working her way through her academic 
pursuits. While working in full capacity, she has managed to complete a 
two year Associate Arts Degree and still currently working while 
pursuing a four-year Bachelor's Degree in Human Services at the 
Woodring College of Education at Western Washington University in 
Washington State. Ms. Jefferson expects to graduate in the Spring of 
2000 with goals to continue her education pursuing a Master's Degree. 
She is a classic example of the tribal student profile of being a non-
traditional female student with dependents from a nearby surrounding 
community.
  Of the 31 Tribal Colleges, two offer Master's Degree programs, four 
offer Bachelor Degree Programs and many are in the process of 
developing four-year degree programs cooperatively with nearby 
mainstream institutions. Tribal Colleges are awarding more than 1,000 
Associate Degrees each year, and these Degrees represent nineteen 
percent of all Associate Degrees awarded to American Indians. This is 
an impressive figure considering the Tribal Colleges enroll only about 
seven percent of all American Indian students.
  In Academic Year 1996-1997 the Tribal Colleges awarded: 1,016 
Associate Degrees, 88 Bachelor Degrees and 7 Masters Degrees. In 
Academic Year 1995-1996: 1,024 Associate Degrees, 57 Bachelor Degrees 
and 7 Masters Degrees were awarded. Obviously, these statistics from 
the National Center for Education solidifies the success of the Tribal 
College movement by producing graduates--future, productive members of 
their communities and of society.
  Mr. President, I would like to conclude my statement with a quote 
from one of two special reports produced by The Carnegie Foundation for 
the Advancement of Teaching titled, ``Tribal Colleges: Shaping the 
Future of Native America''. I, again want to reinforce my support of 
this nation's 31 Tribal Colleges and to encourage my colleagues on both 
sides of the aisle to offer their support along with me:

       Tribal Colleges offer hope. They can, with adequate 
     support, continue to open doors of opportunity to the coming 
     generations and help Native American communities bring 
     together a cohesive society, one that draws inspiration from 
     the past in order to shape a creative, inspired vision of the 
     future.

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