Emergence, Alliances, and Vision: The Tribal College and Beyond

Abstract

The tribal college movement shows no signs of slowing, yet there are significant issues that need examination. Growing from a handful of community colleges to almost three dozen in 12 states and Canada, tribal colleges now offer advanced academic degrees. This paper examines the current status of the tribal college "movement" by looking at the origins of tribal colleges, their statistics and demographics including enrollments, funding, programs, and accreditation. Discussion of issues related to distance learning and appropriate pedagogy, vital to tribal college success, are described in this article. Using historical data and the critical observations of contemporary Indigenous education theorists, this study points to areas for ongoing discussion by supporters of tribal colleges and universities.