Call for Contributors

In the next few months, we will be revamping this blog to reflect the voices of our students, our tribal college communities, and American Indian communities from across the country. We are seeking contributors that are Native professors, teachers, community members, and students.

In addition to contributors from the United States, we welcome points of view from Native communities from around the world.

We look forward to hearing your perspective on Native education, cultural and language preservation, and other issues affecting Native communities.

For more information, please contact Dina Horwedel at dhorwedel@collegefund.org

Ft. Lewis College Tuition Waiver History and Other Schools That Offer Tuition Waivers for American Indian Students

We have been receiving calls and questions about the Ft. Lewis College (located in Durango, Colorado) tuition waiver and its history in the wake of a proposed bill that would strip $1.8 million from Fort Lewis College's budget. House Bill 10-1067, sponsored by Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, would reduce the per-student amount the state reimburses the school for out-of-state Indian students. Middleton said the bill’s passage would have no impact on the promise to educate American Indians free of charge.

The Ft. Lewis tuition waiver is not a result of a treaty, as many have quoted, but rather is the result of the following unique history.

In 1910 the U.S. government deeded to the state of Colorado the property then known as the “Fort Lewis School” with the stipulation as condition of the grant that Indian students would be admitted free of charge and on equity with white students. The educational opportunities for Indian students have been maintained by the college and the state of Colorado since then based on federal and state agreements and court decisions.

In 1971 the Colorado General Assembly sought to restrict granting of free tuition at Ft. Lewis College to American Indians who were otherwise unable to pay. The U.S. government filed an action in U.S. District Court on behalf of Indian students at Ft. Lewis, and the court struck down the legislation, stating it was a breach of the state’s original contractual obligation to American Indians created by the Act of 1910, and that under the contract the state had undertaken the obligation to admit ALL Indian students tuition-free to Ft. Lewis who were otherwise qualified to attend. The U.S. Court of Appeals (10th Circuit) affirmed the District Court’s decision in 1972 that there is a contractual obligation between Indian pupils and Colorado.

In 2008 one in five students was American Indian at Ft. Lewis College.

The Michigan legislature has enacted legislation that provides free tuition for American Indian students who are residents of Michigan to selected higher education institutions. Please see the Michigan Inter-Tribal Council site for more details.

Finally, two Bureau of Indian Affairs Schools, the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, a two-year school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas also offer American Indian students free tuition, although students do pay fees.

Proof of tribal enrollment is required for these programs.

Intellectual Capital in Indian Country

This past week we spent two days hearing about the projects that the tribal colleges have been implementing over the past year for the Woksape Oyate Wisdom of the People project.

Programs have been designed for growing their own college faculty and staff; preserving and teaching tribal languages and culture not just amongst the tribal members, but serving as a resource for state curriculum; learning centers that teach not just study skills but leadership and management; and public administration degrees that meet the needs of both the tribal communities and surrounding state and counties.

The project is in its first year of implementation after a year of planning, but already the results have been remarkable. Tribal colleges are building stronger institutions, stronger and more confident students, and are serving their communities in ways that they never have before--all the while building their expertise and standing not just in the Native community, but in their counties, regions, states, and academia.

Read more about the tribal colleges' Woksape Oyate projects or share your ideas for Thinking Indian and preserving intellectual capital by posting a comment here.

Happy New Year from the American Indian College Fund

As 2010 begins, we at the Fund wish all good things and every success for our supporters and our students.

Without our supporters, our students could not go on to achieve the astounding successes that they have over the past 20 years. And our students are our future in Indian Country--without them we would not be able to continue our lifeways, our culture.

We are thrilled to be part of the journey of both of our supporters and our students. Godspeed for a wonderful new year!

Happy New Year!

As we head into 2010, we at the American Indian College Fund would like to thank you for your support over the past 12 months and your commitment to creating new beginnings for American Indian in the new year ahead.

Make an impact in 2009 and close your year with a tax-deductible gift of education.

Donations you make to the American Indian College Fund are tax-deductible for this year through midnight Dec. 31st.

Your commitment to end poverty through education is even more important in tough economic times. Through the American Indian College Fund, you are creating hope for American Indian people for a better life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

As Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a sophomore business administration and finance major and honor student at Haskell Indian Nations University, has said, “Without scholarships, there was no way I could afford to go to college... I have taken the lessons learned from the obstacles and applied them to life. Hard work has helped get me to where I am at, and hard work is going to help me in the future…I want to give back to the community where I grew up… With the hard work learned from my past and the assistance from this scholarship, I will be able to accomplish all my educational and career goals. Then maybe one day, I’ll be sponsoring a scholarship through your program.”

Let’s ring in 2010 by closing out 2009 with a rallying show of support and commitment to American Indian students to end poverty through education.

Ocankuye Wasté Yelo (In a good way),

Richard B. Williams

Donate by 12/31/09 for Your Tax Deduction!

It's not too late! You can still make a tax-deductible gift to the American Indian College Fund by 12/31/09. The Fund is helping change lives, one person at a time, in Indian Country by helping students achieve a college education.

Help people like Dominic Clichee (Navajo), a star basketball player and straight A student, stay in school and earn a degree so that he can return to his community and work as a hospital administrator.

Thank you for your continued support of American Indian students!

Cobell Settlement A Dream Come True

The U.S. government has settled a long-running lawsuit over royalties owed to American Indians. The Interior Department will distribute $1.4 billion to more than 300,000 tribe members to compensate them for historical accounting claims, and to resolve future claims. The department also will spend $2 billion to buy back and consolidate tribal land lost by previous generations. The program will allow individual tribe members to obtain cash payments for divided land interests and free up the land for the benefit of tribal communities.

Finally, the department will set aside $60 million in a Fund for American Indians wishing to pursue post-secondary vocational education or a higher education.

At the Fund, we could not be more thrilled. This means a chance for many more American Indian people to earn a higher education and brings hope for them for a better future.

To read details of the settlement visit Cobell v. Salazar.