These are the partners with the University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND) in the Ah'jo'gun to the Baccalaureate program
Tribally controlled colleges (TCCs) are part of a fast-growing movement in higher education. Most Native Americans pursuing a college degree do so by first obtaining a two-year degree at a TCC and then transferring to a four-year college or university. This consortium of TCCs and UND is group of equal partners joined by the philosophy that it is both desirable and possible for Native American students to maintain their culture and Native way of thinking, while at the same time using education to reach out to new careers in science. The consortium includes colleges at four of the five reservations having land in North Dakota, as well as United Tribes Technical College located in Bismarck, ND. These five TCCs and UND are also cooperating in implementing cooperative programs in Aerospace Science and Biology. The Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux tribe (the other tribe with a small amount of territory in North Dakota) is not included here because its tribal government and main tribal college campus are both located in South Dakota. (They are, however, a member of the group operating UTTC.)
Fort Berthold Community College (FBCC) is located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation more than 250 miles west of Grand Forks (see map, p. *). FBCC enrolls mainly Native American students, with a main campus that is a state-of-the-art facility in New Town, North Dakota, and several smaller locations strategically located throughout the large expanse of the reservation.
The college was founded in May of 1974 and is owned by the people of the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara). The Three Affiliated Tribes endorse the concept that a locally based higher education institution is needed to train Tribal members and to act as a positive influence retaining the Tribal Culture. Fort Berthold was granted accreditation on February 12, 1988, through the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. Fort Berthold is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). The following goals for the institution are to:
In order to graduate with an Associate of Arts Degree, Associate of Science Degree, Associate of Applied Science Degree, or Vocational Certificate from the FBCC, candidates must:
Fort Berthold has an open-door admissions policy and no one is denied enrollment at the college. The philosophy of FBCC emphasizes the interweaving of tribally distinctive cultural elements into the post-secondary education process. FBCC utilizes a pragmatic and holistic approach to higher education, which aims to provide and improve individual competencies relevant to the individual and to the community. The mission of FBCC is to address tribal needs and concerns and to perpetuate tribal heritage, history, and culture.
Enrollment at FBCC totaled 291 in 1998, about 89% of which were Native American, and 64% were women. Of the total, roughly 70% of the students attended at the main campus in New Town, while the remaining 30% were served at three distributed sites in Mandaree, White Shield, and Twin Buttes.
The intent of Student Services at FBCC is to improve chances of students from disadvantaged backgrounds to successfully complete the academic or vocational course of study. Special Services include assisting low income and first generation students with instruction in the foundations skills, study skill, counseling, tutoring, mentoring, testing, and college survival skills. FBCC also provides workshops, seminars, and training sessions. The college also offers GED classes throughout the year in five Reservation communities. This program provides class instruction, books, testing fees, and transportation to testing sites at no cost to the registered student.
The Associate of Arts Degree (A.A.) program is designed to provide a course of instruction that leads to credits transferable to other institutions of higher education. These programs also prepare the student for employment in a variety of areas. Each degree program requires a minimum of sixty-four credit hours. FBCC offers six Associate of Arts Degree Programs: Liberal Arts, Accounting/Business Administration, Public/Tribal Administration, Human Services, Early Childhood Development, Computer Science.
The Associate of Science Degree (A.S.) program is designed to provide an in-depth knowledge of the area of concentration and to prepare students for employment. The degree program requires a minimum of sixty-four credit hours. FBCC now offers six A.S. degree programs: Practical Nursing, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Science, Agriculture Transfer, Computer Science.
Other degrees/certifications being offered at FBCC are the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree and the Vocational certificate. These are offered in a variety of areas that lead directly to specialized employment.
Back to topCankdeska Cikana (Little Hoop) Community College (CCCC or LHCC) opened on October 13, 1974 in Ft. Totten, ND. It is a tribally-chartered college serving the Spirit Lake Sioux Reservation, which is located 100 miles west of Grand Forks (see map, p. *). It was accredited in 1981 by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. LHCC was named in honor of Cankdeska Cikana (meaning Little Hoop), the Indian name of Paul Yankton, Sr. The recipient of two purple hearts, PFC Yankton died November 29, 1944,while serving as a rifleman with the Army’s 11th Infantry at Lorraine, France. In 1997 the name was changed to Cankdeska Cikana.
The philosophy of LHCC is based on the circle, representing the totality of learning in a lifetime. The College stands within the circle of the Spirit Lake Sioux Nation and through the power of learning strives to maintain the way of thinking of the Dakota people. This way of thinking is based on the circle and its relationship to the sacred hoop of life. The circle stands for the togetherness of people united in peace. The mission of LHCC is to provide comprehensive post-secondary education that addresses both traditional and contemporary aspects of learning.
In 1977 the college graduated its first five students. For about the next six years LHCC graduated between 1 to 5 students per year. In 1985 there were 10 graduates and in 1992 there were 34 graduates. The yearly enrollment at LHCC has grown from 110 in 1979 to 330 in 1994, with the majority (53%) of those enrolled being women and over 80% of the enrollment being Native American.
Associate of Arts Degree: 60 credits are needed to graduate. These credits are in the following subjects: English/Communications (9); Humanities/Fine Arts (9); Dakota Studies (3); Math/Science/Technology (17); Social/behavioral science (9); Health/Physical Ed/Recreation (3); Career Planning (1); Electives (9).
Associate of Applied Science: 62 credits needed to graduate. English/Communications (6 credits); Dakota Studies (3); Math/Science/Technology (6); Health/Physical Ed/Recreation (3); Career Planning (2); Courses in area of emphasis: May be selected from Small Business Management, Office Systems, Bldg. Trade Maintenance and Fish and Wildlife Management (39 credits).
Back to topTurtle Mountain Community College (TMCC) began its first full year of operation in 1974. TMCC is located in Belcourt, ND (180 miles northwest of Grand Forks, see map, p. *) and serves the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe of North Dakota. TMCC is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and received initial candidacy for accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1978 and was fully accredited in 1984. The campus includes several buildings in Belcourt which is the principal reservation community, and which is also the center of Tribal Government for the 23,000 members of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe. A new campus has been constructed on a site just north of Belcourt on Fish Lake. The college will move to this new campus during the summer of 1999.
The TMCC philosophy is that it has an obligation to provide direct community service to the Tribe and to maintain, seek out, and provide comprehensive higher education services in fields needed for true Indian self-determination. Since 1974, graduates of TMCC have shown great success in furthering their education and in securing employment. A follow-up study found that many former students had transferred to four-year colleges and universities. Of these former TMCC students, 146 have earned a bachelor's degree, 12 have earned a master's degree and two have earned a doctorate degree. A few have earned a law degree. Most of these former graduates are currently employed and others are in the process of completing their education. Before the founding of the college very few tribal members had earned advanced degrees.
In 1998, 92% of the 688 enrolled students were Native American. Sixty-five percent of the students at TMCC are female and 73% are single. Seventy-six percent of the students are over 21 years of age. Greater than 59% have completed high school and the remainder have received GEDs. In fall of 1998, 39% of students were enrolled in their sophomore year.
Back to topSitting Bull College (SBC) began as Standing Rock Community College in September of 1973. SBC operates under a charter granted by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council to operate as a post-secondary educational institution with the authority to grant degrees at the Associate level. SBC is in the Fort Yates community, some 300 miles southwest of Grand Forks (see map, p. *) at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation straddling the border between North Dakota and South Dakota. SBC was given candidate status by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1975 and received full accreditation in 1984. Its name was changed to Standing Rock College to honor accreditation in 1984, and changed to the current name in 1996. SBC is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and the American Indian College Fund.
SBC operates with the philosophy that Standing Rock Tribe members will grow to their fullest potential by knowing and understanding their beautiful and profound cultural heritage. The educational process at SBC seeks to provide students with a balanced education (emotionally, spiritually, and physically) including guidance from tribal elders, using their teachings to live in the present world. SBC has adopted as its motto one of Sitting Bull’s sayings: "Let us put our minds together to see what we can build for our children." SBC is exploring new programs and consortia to improve and expand its educational programs for members of the Standing Rock Tribe.
Currently, there are over 40 full-time faculty and staff. The original enrollment of 90 students has grown to a number consistently over 250. Vocational programs, general college transfer programs, as well as programs with other colleges are currently being offered. An Associates degree program in Environmental Science has recently been added. In addition to course work in Ecology, Wildlife Management, Conservation, and Environmental Sampling, students in the program are required to complete two research projects and participate in a internship of 135 hours. Student interest has risen in this field and two students will be graduating in the spring of 1999 with degrees from this program.
Back to topUnited Tribes Technical College (UTTC) was founded in 1969 by an inter-tribal organization, the United Tribes of North Dakota Development Corporation. It is a non-profit corporation chartered by the state of North Dakota and operated by the five reservations located wholly or in part in North Dakota. UTTC is located about 250 miles southwest of Grand Forks near Bismarck, ND (see map, p. *) on a 1903-vintage military base–Fort Lincoln. The fort housed German and Japanese aliens during World War II and later served as the headquarters for the Garrison Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. United Tribes obtained the property after it was declared surplus in the late 1960s. UTTC was given candidate status by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1978 and received full accreditation in 1987.
Throughout its entire history, the UTTC has maintained its commitment to the economic, social and cultural advancement of Indian families. UTTC is a residential educational institution with a mission to provide an environment in which students and staff can discover, examine, preserve, and transmit the technical knowledge, cultural values, and wisdom that will ensure the survival of Native people in present and future generations, while increasing individual opportunities to improve the quality of life. UTTC Seeks to initiate and sustain educational and economic programs aimed at the self-sufficiency and realization of self-determination of the Native American community.
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