News Release
March 09, 2004
Native American Higher Education Consortium to benchmark Tribal College student success
Lumina Foundation grant supports data collection, disseminationINDIANAPOLIS — The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) will make the first comprehensive attempt to gather and scrutinize student enrollment and retention data from the nation’s 34 tribal colleges in hopes of improving higher education success rates for American Indian students nationwide.
Funded by a $785,000 grant from Lumina Foundation for Education, AIHEC will gather Tribal College & University (TCU) student information and publish a report listing indicators of student success. AIHEC will also assess and strengthen the colleges’ capabilities to collect and analyze their own data so that student-serving programs can be enhanced and improved.
“As demands for accountability increase at the nation’s colleges, the importance of collecting and analyzing student data grows exponentially,” said Martha D. Lamkin, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation. “Tribal Colleges with scarce resources and limited technical capacity have difficulty securing support and developing effective campus improvement plans. This grant will benchmark student success factors and lay the groundwork for future improvement initiatives.”
Data collection and analysis are expected to be complete within two years. AIHEC plans to issue its findings in reports to colleges, tribal governments, federal and state policy-makers, foundations and other stakeholders. AIHEC Executive Director Gerald E. Gipp, Ph.D., said: “As AIHEC and the Tribal Colleges and Universities seek to increase the attainment and academic success of the students we serve, this initiative will also become a solid foundation for assisting TCUs with increased Federal reporting and accountability requirements, taking our cultural components into consideration, rather than alienating them.”
“This grant continues to underscore the Lumina Foundation’s history of working with underrepresented and underserved student populations and the obstacles they face,” Gipp continued, “as well as their commitment to examining and supporting the role of community colleges in promoting students’ enrollment, learning and attainment in postsecondary education.”
TCUs have emerged over the last 30 years in response to the higher education needs of American Indians. Varying in stages of development and differing in structure and size, the colleges generally serve geographically isolated populations that have no other means of accessing education beyond the high school level.
The colleges function similarly to mainstream community colleges and four-year universities while incorporating unique tribal cultural identities. The TCUs also are committed to fostering a family-like atmosphere and strong personal relationships between students and faculty. Most are located on remote reservations and serve small student bodies that are predominantly American Indian.
AIHEC is the voice of the nation’s tribal colleges in the public and private sectors. It is an advocate for the development of colleges and provides technical assistance and other direct support to its member institutions. Founded in 1972 by the presidents of the nation’s first six Tribal Colleges, AIHEC today represents 34 colleges in the U.S. and one in Canada.
Lumina Foundation for Education, a private, independent foundation, strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school. Through research, grants for innovative programs and communication initiatives, Lumina Foundation addresses issues surrounding access and success — particularly among underserved student groups, including adult learners. The Foundation bases its mission on the belief that post-secondary education remains one of the most beneficial investments that individuals can make in themselves and that society can make in its people. For more information contact Dollyne Sherman, Director of Communication, at 317-951-5493.
© 2009 Lumina Foundation | Creative Commons | Policies & Conditions | Mission Statement | 800.834.5756 | Lumina News | Employment | RSS | 
Board
Board