[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 83 (Tuesday, June 27, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S5911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WELLSTONE:
  S. 2802. A bill to amend the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status 
Act of 1994 to add White Earth Tribal and Community College to the list 
of 1994 Institutions; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.


 designation of white earth tribal & community college as a 1994 land 
                           grant institution

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I am introducing legislation today 
which will add the White Earth Tribal & Community College of Mahnomen, 
Minnesota to the list of 1994 Land Grant Institutions. Designation as a 
1994 land grant institution would give White Earth Tribal & Community 
College access to critical federal funding and resources made available 
under the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 as well 
as providing eligibility for other programs.
  Tribal colleges provide their students and their communities at-large 
with otherwise non-existent opportunities. They serve as library 
facilities for historical tribal documents--things like the oral 
history of elders that might otherwise be lost in time. They promote 
pride in their shared tribal background, and they provide unique 
opportunities for learning about this background. They are a center of 
learning for the entire community--not only learning about their tribal 
history, but also the basic learning that enables some to continue 
adult education, some to go on to 4-year institutions and some to 
finish graduate school. The colleges also offer a place for alcohol 
abuse workshops, job training seminars, and in some cases even day care 
centers. These colleges can offer benefits for all people in their 
communities, which is why we should offer our help to those tribal 
colleges who demonstrate their ability to serve their students and 
their community in this way.
  The purpose of the 1994 land-grant act was to enable tribal colleges 
to receive funds to build their programs, enhance their infrastructure, 
and educate their communities. However, new tribal colleges, founded 
since 1994 are not automatically eligible for land grant status, they 
must be so designated by legislation. One such college is the White 
Earth Tribal & Community College in Mahnomen, Minnesota. Founded in 
1997, this college is now the center of learning for approximately 100 
students. Their courses cover a wide range of material including math, 
history, computer science, and business communications. The college is 
currently seeking accreditation and is a member of the American Indian 
Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). White Earth Tribal & Community 
College is also recognized by its peers as an important place of higher 
learning. Other local colleges, such as Moorhead State University, 
Northwest Technical College, and Northland Community and Technical 
College, accept its transfer credits.
  Mr. President, we should offer this college the opportunity it 
deserves to expand and strengthen its efforts to enhance the lives of 
everyone around it. Giving White Earth Tribal & Community College the 
same federal land-grant status that we gave other tribal colleges in 
1994 is a matter of basic equity. Adoption of this legislation would 
signal a willingness to continue our support of new tribal colleges in 
their efforts to enhance education in their communities.

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