Project Abstracts Part A — 2020

Aaniiih Nakoda College   P031T200001

Address: P.O. Box 159

269 Blackfeet Avenue

Fort Belknap Agency

Harlem, Montana 59526

Purpose: The mission of Aaniiih Nakoda College is to provide quality postsecondary education for residents of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and surrounding communities. The college promotes individual and community development by maintaining and revitalizing the indigenous lifeways of the Aaniinen and Nakoda Tribes and by preparing students to succeed in an American technological society.

Institutional Background:

Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC) is a tribally controlled community college located on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in northcentral Montana. The college was chartered in 1983 by the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council, which serves as the governing body of the Aaniinen (White Clay People or Gros Ventre) and Nakoda (Assiniboine) tribes of Fort Belknap. ANC received its initial accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in 1993. Accreditation was most recently reaffirmed in 2017.

During the 2018-2019 academic year, ANC served an average of 147.5 students per semester. Ninety percent of ANC students are American Indian. Among Indian students at the college, 85 percent are enrolled members of the Aaniinen and Nakoda nations.

Project Title: Aaniiih Nakoda College Title III, Part A, Project

Project Summary:

In keeping with the goal of the American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCU) Program, this project will improve and expand Aaniiih Nakoda College’s capacity to serve American Indian students. In order to achieve this goal, the project will carry out three activities.

Activity One: The project will maintain and operate an Office of Institutional Research in order to improve Aaniiih Nakoda College’s ability to collect, access, and use information about the institution’s operations for improved decision making [Authorized Activity (2)(ii)].

Activity Two: The project will develop and deliver new and improved student services programs to facilitate student success [Authorized Activity (6)(1)].

Activity Three: The project will strengthen Aaniiih Nakoda College’s instructional programs by improving curriculum and methodology for existing academic programs in order to stabilize or increase student enrollment, especially in disciplines in which Indians are underrepresented. 

Bay Mills Community College   P031T20OO02

12214 W Lakeshore Drive

Brimley, MI 49715 Title III – Part A Abstract

Bay Mills Community College relies heavily on Title III funding to support the IT infrastructure needed for efficient and effective college operations. Title III funding provides vital day to day operations such as internet services, email, video communications, the college web page, student online courseware, student information and account management, online student services for account management, application and registration. Title III also provides tools for development of online content and lessons, asset management, campus security, student services tracking, accessibility services for students, human resource services, account management, remote faculty and staff technology support. Title III supports classroom construction, internships, a computer information systems department chair, network maintenance and management. Accreditation is supported though course assessment and tracking services. Office computers, classroom computers, and computers used by students are a necessity in today’s technologically advanced and global economy and in order to be effective, they must be kept current with regard to software and hardware. Title III funds allow BMCC to remain current with ever changing software updates and advances. In addition, hardware necessary for adequate internet connectivity, transmission, and data storage is required. Personnel necessary to oversee and manage the above supported activities is also a necessity and is supported through Title III

Blackfeet Community College P031T150003

Helen Augare Carlson, Title Ill Director (406) 338-5441, ext. 2760, helen augare@bfcc.edu

Dr. Karla Bird, President, (406) 338-5441, ext. 2202, karla.bird@bfcc.edu

Blackfeet Community College, PO Box 819, Browning, MT 59417 www.bfcc.edu

Brief History Of Blackfeet Community College:

Blackfeet Community College (BCC) is a tribally controlled college located in Browning Montana on the Blackfeet Reservation in northwestern Montana. BCC was chartered by the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council in October, 1974 by Executive Action to "...provide post-secondary and higher education services..." to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

Accreditation: The Blackfeet Community College is a fully accredited two year, higher education institution with degree grating powers, sanctioned by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The NWCCU granted the Blackfeet Community College's candidacy status in December of 1979. On December 11, 1985, the Blackfeet Community College became a fully accredited institution.

Mission of Blackfeet Community College: The purpose of Blackfeet Community College is to provide the Blackfeet Nation and our "Universal Community" access to quality educational programs that prepare students for achievement in higher education, meaningful employment, basic skills instruction, and community education, while integrating the Blackfeet culture and language.

Title of Activities for Title Ill Part A Institutional Development:

I. Information Technology and Information Systems

2.Institutional Research and Data Management

3.Multimedia Communications

4.Professional Development

Cankdeska Cikana Community College P031T200004

Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Fort Totten, ND is located on the Spirit Lake Reservation and was founded in 1974 as a tribally controlled two-year community college chartered by the Spirit Lake Nation.

Contact Person:  Stuart Young    Phone: (701) 766-1321   Fax (701) 766-1386 Email Address: stuart.young@littlehoop.edu

The project includes one activity with four goals:

Activity 1 - Academic Programs

Goal 1 - Through assessment data the college has determined that the retention and completion rates for students in developmental education is at a low rate. The college continues to research effective strategies for teaching of developmental education and for the fall 2020 semester a linking methodology of developmental education with the equivalent college course will be used.

Goal 2 – Through assessment data the college has determined that a more effective means must be developed for retention of first-time freshman students. Therefore, the college will be employing a first-time freshman cohort advising program with the general education faculty.

Goal 3 - To increase student retention and persistence through the enhancement of the college’s enrollment and advising program. This is accomplished through activities with instructional staff/advisors and students.

Goal 4 - The college is not fully utilizing the student information system (Empower) and upgrades and better integration is need to: support the linking methodology of developmental education with the equivalent college course, integration of the freshman cohort advising program with the general education faculty and the Empower system.

Management Component This provides funding for the central administration and evaluation components of the project.

Chief Dull Knife College  P031T200005

Name of Institution: Chief Dull Knife College

Address: 1 College Drive, P.O. Box 98, Lame Deer, MT 59043

Purpose:

The proposed project will develop and strengthen key areas of the Department of Student Affairs at Chief Dull Knife College: the Registrar’s office; community outreach; Financial Aid

information activities, Student Support Services; the Learning Center/Retention and Writing

Center; and the administration, coordination and on-going assessment of all project activities. 

All activities are designed to support the successful performance, retention graduation and transfer of CDKC students.

The Registrar’s Office will address key issues related to enrollment and retention through

development of community outreach and targeted reporting about student retention needs.

Community outreach by Registrar’s office staff will include presentations to all local public and

private schools serving the Northern Cheyenne reservation that will provide information about

academic preparation for enrolling in college. By identifying student needs and interests, these

presentations will be adapted to include information that will help students envision and plan

their academic programs to ensure that they are college ready.

Another key activity will include development of intensive information workshops and

presentations by the Financial Aid officer which will address sources of funding available to

support current and future academic studies as well as the application process. Since many

CDKC students have families, presentations also will address such topics as management of

financial aid, family budgets, consumer credit and loans. A key element of this activity will

involve identifying student financial and information needs and designing presentations and

workshops that address these needs. Such presentations will help to address important financial issues that often affect student performance and retention.

A major effort of the proposed activities will strengthen and enhance development of CDKC’s

College Success Program. This program involves a range of Student Support Services needed by

CDKC students who, based on their placement test scores, typically must enroll in pre-college

courses. Thus, services are needed that identify and address the individual needs of new and

continuing students and provide an integrated set of supportive academic services. These include proactive advising, and tutoring and mentoring (by faculty, staff, and peers) using resources developed and offered through the Learning and Writing Centers as well as monitoring and follow-up services that support student performance, retention and persistence to graduation with an associate’s degree. Support services also include planning and preparing students for transferring to four-year degree programs relevant to their interests and career/work goals.

Finally, project activities will be administered through the office of the Vice President of Student

Affairs. This will provide an essential point of coordination both within the Department of

Student Affairs and with other units of the college. Within this office the Institutional Research

Specialist will collect and analyze data about each activity that will be shared as appropriate with

the college community and will be used for on-going assessment and project planning.

College of Menominee Nation   P031T200006

ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1179

Keshena, WI 54135

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (715) 799-5600

PRESIDENT: Christopher M. Caldwell, Interim

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (715) 799-5600 ext: 3040

BRIEF HISTORY OF CMN: CMN is an accredited, tribally controlled, four-year community 

college and land-grant institution. The College serves the Menominee Nation, neighboring tribal nations, and surrounding communities. The main campus is located on the Menominee Indian Reservation in Keshena, Wisconsin, with a second campus located near the Oneida Nation Reservation in Green Bay, Wisconsin. CMN offers four baccalaureate degree programs, ten associate degree programs, and four one-year technical diplomas. It annually serves over 400 students from over 20 different tribes.

TITLE OF ACTIVITIES:

● Activity One: Academic Improvements through improving the delivery of CMN’s courses

● Activity Two: Academic Improvements through the development of New Programs

● Activity Three: Academic Improvements through Establishing an Endowment

Dine College P031T200007

Dine College, Tsaile, AZ

Project Title:

Scaling Student Engagement & Promoting Virtual Learning Environments at Dine College

Dine College was established in 1968, is a tribally-controlled higher education institution. Dine College's Mission is "rooted in Dine language and culture, our mission is to advance quality post-secondary student learning and development to ensure the well-being of the Dine people".

AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL: Dr. Charles Roessel, College President PROJECT DIRECTOR: Glennita Haskey, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dine College, One Circle Drive, Tsaile, AZ 86556 Phone: (928) 724-6670 and (928)724-6860

Emails: cmroessel@dinecollege.edughaskey@dinecollege.edu

Project Goals:·1

1) STUDENT ENROLLMENT INTERVENTIONS- Boosting Student Access and Engagement student access and retention)

2) STUDENT WITHDRAWAL INTERVENTIONS -Activating Student Learning Pathways (student retention, persistence, course completion, and graduation)

3) STUDENT DEBT INTERVENTIONS - Promoting Student Awareness of College Affordability      (student persistence and graduation)

4)TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION - Expanding Technology Services for Online Teaching Modes   and Deliveries (student course completion and graduation)

Project Activities:

•To increase the use of technology services and tools to enhance students' college access and campus engagement

•To use technology platforms to expand students' degree planning, and career and professional development

•To develop, expand, and implement early financial literacy and money management education and awareness for students

•To expand technology services for online teaching deliveries

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College  P031T200008

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (FDLTC) is located in Cloquet, Minnesota and was formed in 1987. It is the result of a unique partnership  with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa  and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system. The college is the product of extensive consultation among tribal and civic leaders, business people, and students. The mission is to provide higher education opportunities for its communities in a welcoming, culturally diverse  environment. FDLTCC offers associate degrees (AA, AFA, AS, and AAS) as well as transfer credits across more than 30 fields of study. FDLTCC is accredited (most recently reaffirmed in 2019) by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of College and Schools, and a member since 1989.of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. In 2017, the FDLTCC Anishilaabeg Gikendaasowinan (all American Indian credit programming) completed a successful self-study and audit review to receive a 10-ye.ar accreditation from the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium. The FDLTCC nursing program became officially accredited by the Accreditation Commission of Education in Nursing (ACEN) in April 2020.

Purpose: This request of $670,433 for year one of a five-year comprehensive project primarily focuses directly on increasing student success and retention of Native students by implementing new programming and the deepening and expanding of two successful existing projects. Additionally, a dimension of this proposal encompasses various campus/community-wide projects focused on furthering student success, increasing our retention of students; strengthening and further developing our academic programs, and personnel costs related to the projects.

Funding is requested for the following components which will benefit and serve our Native students.

•  Nandagikendan Summer Academy for entering college students and returning students in year long engagement to improve retention and to move the students rapidly into core courses and through program completion. Nandagikendan Summer Academy for high school students, include a summer academy and monthly follow-up activities throughout the school year aimed at college preparation and financial literacy  for students and  families               

•  Ojibwemotaadidaaomaa Gidakiiminaang Ojibwe Language Immersion Academy for FDLTCC students and PK-12 teachers utilizing local and regional consultants, and the Fond du Lac Reservation to provide year-round activities that reinforce language and educational objectives

• Support for on-campus student success through student ambassador programming, continued support of a writing lab to assist in student achievement, and wellness initiatives

• Expand learning opportunities for Native students, Course program development, and cultural preservation efforts through the Ojibwemowining Cultural Resource Center and furthering development of the Ojibwemowining Digital Arts and Storytelling program

• Expanded outreach into high schools aimed at college preparation by providing college-connect courses for students below a 3.0 GPA and also a community requested Certified Nursing Assistance course for high school students

• Support of Native STEAM initiatives with the Environmental Institute through our partnership with the Fond du Lac Reservation

• Support of the Native Sky Watchers Teacher Education Workshop and the Lester Jack Briggs Knowledge Bowl

• Expand our library and cultural resource center acquisitions and community offerings/outreach

• Staff/faculty development including efforts to improve delivery of distance education, curriculum development, and design. _  ..

• New hire of Faculty Unit coordinator for continued support and development of Native focused Elementary Education Program 

• Support for a full-time Title III Project Director, Nandagikendan Academy Director, Digital Media Specialist, Resource Center Director, and Tribal College Liaison, various faculty stipends

• Support of peer tutors/work study to mentor and support students within programs

Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College  P031T200009

Project Abstract

Like many Tribal Colleges in the United States, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College (NHS

College) faces challenges in providing IT infrastructure due to the remoteness of area and

challenges of high cost of living in the Bakken region. NHS College also experiences challenges

in the use of data management software due to turnover in employees that is common in many

Tribal College settings. In spite of these challenges, NHS College has continued to improve its 

infrastructure through careful use of resources, purchases of IT hardware and software and

investing in its human capital. The amount of progress made in the area of IT infrastructure and in the use of the data management system has improved delivery of services to students and

employees in the past five years. With this funding, NHS College endeavors to build upon our

previous successes to provide enhanced use of the data management system, cross training and

updated hardware and software for the institution.

The project Increasing NHSC’s IT Capacity across Departments has three main

activities:

1. Initiate and maintain monthly module manager meetings for improved

productivity of the data management system

2. Develop and update/maintain Standard Operating Procedures manuals for the

high impact users of the data management system (Jenzabar) to improve cross

training and succession of leadership at NHS College

3. Update and maintain hardware, software and training planning and support for

the technical infrastructure at NHS College resulting in continued fiscal,

administrative, academic, and student support.

Fort Peck Community College   P031T200010  

The Fort Peck Community College (FPCC) plans to utilize the Department of  Education's FY2020 Title Ill Part A grant funds to implement the "Strengthening Internal Efficiency & Increasing Academic Effectiveness at FPCC" project that is described in this document. The grant narrative and accompanying budget are for the five-year grant period of the application solicitation, which covers the 10/l /2020 - 9/30/2025 time period. These funds will allow the college to fill key positions amongst staff and faculty that will provide the resources to carry out the mission of the institution.

These funds will also allow FPCC to enhance its American Indian Studies curriculum, as well as allow the college to continue integrating a Database manager into the Information Technology staff to be responsible for the operations of the Jenzabar software program that connects all data aspects of the institution within one comprehensive program.

These funds will provide for administrative expenses within the Institutional Development Division of the college to carry out their function and activities in strengthening and advancing the institution's capacity. This grant will allow FPCC to fill administrative positions and faculty positions in various academic disciplines. This will allow the college to adequately meet the demand for instruction in academic fields by providing instructors to teach additional course offerings in the various disciplines identified for the academic years of the project.

With the expansion of distance learning in FPCC's remote region, the online course offerings have been slowly expanding to reach communities that are prohibitive from being able to utilize the college's resources and classes' on-campus. In continuing to assess and improve academic quality, FPCC will engage in additional part-time adjunct faculty to fill the gaps and deficiencies in other disciplines within the institution to increase the course offerings to students to enhance and expand their educational experience. These grant funds will also allow for increased curriculum development in American Indian Studies, especially language and history. By utilizing the history research and cultural development that occurs through this activity, it will strengthen the institution educationally as well as provide additional resources in documenting the Tribes' culture and history for future generations.

These grant funds will provide for administrative expenses for the Institutional Development Division of the college to assist in operating in an efficient and effective manner, allowing for the strengthening of the institution by providing for travel expenses, consulting services, and general office supplies and equipment.

Finally, these grant funds will provide for a Career Development Coordinator's salary and fringe benefits for this position that will work with students, businesses, municipalities, organizations, and other workforce related agencies to serve as a bridge connecting these entities with one another in fulfilling the needs of the local workforce and students. This position will also be responsible for upper-division distance learning courses and transfer requirements through the articulation agreements that FPCC has with various higher education universities.

Haskell Indian Nations University  P031T200011

Topic:  Designing for Student Success and Achievement

City:  Lawrence, Kansas

Purpose: Haskell Indian Nations University has proven to be a leader among tribal colleges with the establishment of 2-year degree programs and 4-year bachelor’s degree programs in Business, Environmental Science, American Indian Studies and Education.

The University has approved a 2020 Strategic Plan and Guiding Principles that will direct the University in this last year of our Strategic Plan.   The Strategic Plan for the next 5 years is currently being reviewed and will be implement by December 2020.  

The goal of this funding will be to create and expand a community of learning that will encompass students, faculty, staff and administrators.  Haskell University will build upon the concept of continuous improvement in all areas of the university which includes creating and implementing online classroom teaching, distance learning and certificate programs. This goal will be designed for student success and achievement.

The objectives that will be achieved from October 2020 to September 2025 are:

1.To build capacity for faculty through professional development trainings and by encouraging faculty research and publications.

2.To strengthen funds management through a grant tracking software that will benefit both the Sponsored Programs and Finance Departments. Support will also be provided to the Sponsored Programs Department to attend grantor trainings and workshops.

3.To continue to support the University Library through purchasing new online databases that will assist students and faculty in online classes, distance learning and research.

4.To design and build a Seminar and Lecture Room that will provide the setting for conducting research institutes, online and distance learning classes, and faculty and staff trainings.

5.To assess, prioritize and renovate classrooms to the benefit of students and faculty.

6.To offer opportunities to develop new courses and curriculum by evaluating current degree programs and creating new degree programs.

7.To design and build an Outdoor classroom and Greenhouse that will provide students and researchers a place to teach, observe and gain knowledge on hydroponics, sustainability, and the environment.

8.To provide funding to University Services to provide students with quality of care in counseling, career services, admissions, and student success.

Illisagvik College P031T200012

ABSTRACT: IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND QUALITY

Iḷisaġvik College is located in Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, in a region roughly the size of Michigan that is known as the North Slope. The North Slope is home to the Iñupiaq people, three hundred miles above the Arctic Circle. Within the confines of the North Slope Borough, there are eight Native villages and approximately 7,800 residents with approximately sixty-five percent of those residents being Alaska Native and Native American. Iḷisaġvik College is a federally recognized tribal college accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. It provides quality postsecondary education options, including workforce training, academic education, certificates and certifications, and associate and bachelor’s degrees. The College has been in operation since 1995 and is Alaska’s only tribal college. Iḷisaġvik College’s proposed project, Facilitating Student Success, is focused on developing strategies, activities, and solutions to the challenges that Iḷisaġvik College students face as they pursue higher education.

Approximately seventy percent of Iḷisaġvik College’s Alaska Native and Native American students are first-generation college students (sixty-two percent of the total student body are first-generation college students). Additionally, most of Iḷisaġvik’s students are non-traditional college age, with sixty-six percent of students over the age of twenty-six years old. The nontraditional nature of Iḷisaġvik College’s student body and the unique location of the college (tribal and arctic) means that our students’ success needs to be fostered with a variety of holistic, place-based services that help facilitate each student’s higher education goals. Under this project, Iḷisaġvik proposes to carry out five objectives that will focus on Improving Educational Access and Quality.

As a first objective, Iḷisaġvik proposes to support faculty and key staff development. This includes professional and partnership development in order to improve teaching, enhance curriculum, and improve student learning at the College. 

The second objective, Improving Academic Programs, will support academic assistants for free tutoring services at the College, a Foundational Math Instructor to help bridge the divide between incoming students’ mathematics knowledge and college-level mathematics, and expanding the College’s Business Program to better serve students.

The third objective proposes to facilitate educational access by supporting three student service-oriented positions. This includes the Educational Access Coordinator, the First Year Pathways Coordinator, and a faculty position at the College’s library, the Academic Engagement and Outreach Librarian. These positions help to address access gaps to education and support students as they seek their academic goals. Through the third objective, College will improve technology to facilitate access by implementing a new student information system at the College, which will increase efficiencies, provide more agency to students in their higher education journey, and streamline administrative processes. Finally, as a final objective, the College proposes to facilitate financial stability at the College with endowment contributions.

The College will match Title III funds 1:1 with non-federal funds. The project and program management of the aforementioned endeavors will also be partially funded under Title III. These activities are developmental and innovative in nature and intended to provide targeted support and quality academic education to Iḷisaġvik College’s student body, as well as address the access gaps that Native and/or non-traditional students experience.

Institute of American  Indian  Arts  P031T200013

The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) was established in 1962 to serve the academic and artistic needs of Native American and Alaska Native people across North America. IAIA opened on the campus of the Santa Fe Indian School as a high school. In 1975, IAIA became a two-year college offering associate degrees in Studio Arts, Creative Writing and Museum Studies. In 1986, IAIA became one of three Congressionally chartered colleges in the United States and was charged with the study, preservation and dissemination of traditional and contemporary expressions of Native American language, literature, history, oral traditions and the visual and performing arts. IAIA moved to a permanent 140 acre campus at the southern edge of Santa Fe in 2000, and was accredited to offer baccalaureate degrees in 2001.  2013 saw the introduction of the low-residency Creative Writing MFA program.

In keeping with our mission “To empower creativity and leadership in Native arts and cultures through higher education, lifelong learning and outreach”, IAIA works to prepare our students for success and leadership that reflects Native cultures and values. IAIA also provides culturally based programs that fulfill the physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of our students. 

As the birthplace of contemporary Native art, IAIA has educated Native American artists from across the country, and is recognized as a national center of excellence in contemporary Native arts and cultures through exhibitions, research, Indigenous exchange and other educational programs. Our over 4,000 graduates have gone on to excel on the world-wide art stage by creating new art while keeping traditional art and art forms alive. Many of the artists that pass through our halls go on to exhibit and sell their work throughout the country.

The Title III 2020 Fiscal Year funding will allow IAIA to further develop the faculty and better prepare them for in-person and online classroom instruction and to develop curriculum; purchase library books and other educational materials; acquire equipment that will strengthen the academic programs; construct, maintain, renovate and improve classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other instructional facilities; strengthen our financial management; improve our student services with tutoring and counseling; improve our development office to strengthen or improve contributions from alumni and the public sector; and enhance our outreach programs that encourage Indian elementary and secondary school students to develop the academic skills and the interest to pursue postsecondary education. The proposed activities are necessary for the enhancing the foundation and building the capacity of the institute, the faculty and in supporting the academic success of the students.

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College  P031T200014

13466 W. Trepania Road, Hayward, WI 54843 TELEPHONE NUMBER: 715.634.4790

NAME OF PRESIDENT: Dr. Russell Swagger

TELEPHONE NUMBER OF PRESIDENT: 715.634.4790 x 138

BRIEF HISTORY OF INSTITUTION: Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College was chartered by the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe in 1982. It has been fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association since 1993. The college currently employs approximately 60 full-time faculty and staff and serves on average 500 students per semester (headcount). The college has its campus located on the LCO Reservation and maintains four-degree sites on other reservations in northwestern Wisconsin. Current academic offerings include eleven (11) associate degree programs and six (6) certificate programs.

TITLE OF ACTIVITIES: This award totals $2,909,676 and has a budget and performance period of October 1, 2020 – September 30, 2025.

Activity: Human Resources: $703,987

For further development of information and tools designed for support and effective communication of human resource information and employee benefits information. This activity also provides professional development opportunities to support employee development to improve their knowledge and skills in performing their assigned duties. 

Activity: Student Success Program Director: $395,196

This position’s primary focus is to coordinate, implement, and administer retention programs to help students stay committed to their academic program. Orientation, academic advising, Early Alert system, and College Fairs are some of the ways that assist with this. 

Activity: Instruction: $1,800,493

Four full-time faculty will be supported, in whole or in part, for their instructional positions utilizing project funds. All faculty teach within disciplines in which Native American Students are underrepresented. Instructional supplies are provided through this activity to help faculty improve delivery of instruction. Funds are also utilized to secure leases for the delivery of instructional programming at the College’s Four Outreach sites. 

Project Management: $10,000

The project director, Jill Matchett-CFO, will be utilizing travel funds to support attendance at the annual Title III directors conference in Washington D.C. Her salary and fringe benefits will be funded through the college’s general/discretionary funds.

LEECH LAKE TRIBAL COLLEGE   P031T200015

6945 Littlewolf Road NW Cass Lake, MN 56633 218-335-4200

Leech Lake Tribal College was chartered by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in 1991 and currently has 58 faculty, staff and administrative positions and approximately 170 students. The' majority of Leech Lake Tribal College students are enrolled in surrounding Minnesota reservations; however, 10% of our students are non-native. Leech Lake Tribal College is committed to serving students of all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds and to accommodating students with physical and learning disabilities.

Leech Lake Tribal College is governed by an independent Board of Trustees, and the IRS has granted the College 501(c) (3) status. The College was awarded full accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission in 2005. Leech Lake Tribal College is currently on probation, with the HLC Leech Lake Tribal College will have an onsite visit by the HLC in September to continue accreditation. Our goal is for another 10 year cycle.

Leech Lake Tribal College currently offers seven degree programs, two vocational programs, and a wide variety of community and continuing education opportunities. The goals for Leech Lake Tribal College directly support its mission and are tied to its strategic plan.

The Goals of the Leech Lake Tribal College for the years 2020-2025 include:

Being a leader in technology to enhance the learning of our students and faculty. 

Provide a stable and secure network to deliver tl1e best available format for learning and teaching while maintaining tl1e integrity of our network and resources.

Updating classroom equipment and software to stay current in the ever changing IT field.

Preserve and revitalize Ojibwa culture and language.

Provide professional development for our staff to help enhance and maintain the skills required for their roles at Leech Lake Tribal College.

Maintaining and enhancing our social media policies and procedures to reach potential students and as an effective way to communicate.

Work with our faculty and Students to develop alternative teaching and learning methods to best serve our students.

We have changed with the current COVID 19 pandemic. We are offering all classes online at this time. 

Enhance II TC endowment fund.

Little Big Horn College P031T200016

8645 S. Weaver Dr.

P.O. Box 370

Crow Agency, MT 59022 Ph: 406-638-3192

President: Dr. David  Yarlott, Jr.

Little Big Horn College is a public two-year tribally controlled community college located in Crow Agency, Montana, in the south-central part of the state. The Crow Indian Reservation covers 2.28 million acres, mostly in Big Horn County, an area that is approximately ninety miles east-west and sixty miles north-south, nearly the same geographic size as the state of Connecticut. The Little Big Horn College campus is situated along the banks of the Little Big Horn River in the town of Crow Agency, Montana Capital of the Crow Nation.

Little Big Horn College was established in 1978 under the Tribally Controlled Community Colleges Assistance Act. The College Charter granted by the Crow Tribal Council in 1980 authorizes Little Big Horn College to establish, maintain and operate an educational institution at the postsecondary level on the Crow Indian Reservation. In 1981, Little Big Horn College offered classes and enrolled thirty-two (32) students. Little Big Horn College obtained accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges in 1990. In addition, in 1994 Little Big Horn College was among the tribal colleges that gained Land Grant Status. The College grants Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees and certificates in areas that reflect the developing economic opportunities and social needs of the Crow Nation and surrounding communities, offering instruction by traditional distance education methods.

Little Big Horn College (LBHC) is experiencing an increase with a younger student population, a need to continue planning for a changing educational environment, a need to keep personnel updated with new methods of learning, a need to provide leadership opportunities to personnel, a need to utilize consultants in areas that the college does not have expe1iise and the growing need of communicating with a younger student clientele is evident, with the use of technology.

To assess needs, seek resources and to plan to meet needs, a Planning Coordinator position was created to assist with Assessments, Accreditation, Strategic Planning and Public Relations. A Computer Technician and Information Technology Assistant will also assist in supporting the technological needs of the college. To address health needs several positions will support the Health and Wellness Center. Also, several positions will also support the College Library.

Technology needs, such as refreshing lab computers, accessories and other supporting equipment will be performed. Displays, communication devices and other technology upgrades will be purchase to stay abreast of the demands on technology. With the continued challenges of resources, contractual groups and individuals will be contracted/utilized to strengthen areas within the college.

Little Priest Tribal College    P031T200017

“Growing Academically Strong Together”

Chartered by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, a sovereign nation, Little Priest Tribal College, in the heritage of respect, integrity and self-reliance, seeks to fulfill its mission to “Be Strong and Educate My Children” (Chief Little Priest, n.d.). Little Priest Tribal College prepares its students to succeed in a multicultural world, emphasizing quality education of the highest level, humanistic values, and life skills by: (1) defending the understanding of Winnebago and HoChunk history, culture and language; (2) preparing students to succeed in their personal and professional lives; (3)  (4) providing certificates and two-year degrees that prepare students for the workforce and for pursuit of higher degrees.

Census reports list a poverty rate of 38.22%. A population of just under 800 (88% Native), 26 %

attended some college, while 16% earned associate degrees, 6% bachelor, and 4% graduate. The remaining 48% of the population is comprised of those whose education was not reported due to age (too young for this reporting), those who attended some primary and secondary education and some who graduated high school. Open to all students and currently employing seven full-time faculty and nine adjunct faculty, Little Priest Tribal College infuses culture into six programs of study—Liberal Arts, Business, Teacher Education, Early Childhood Education, Native American Studies, and Indigenous Science Studies. Though a homogenous student population, 89% of enrolled students are Native American, while 6% are Black and 5% White. Additionally, 73% of our student body are eligible for and receive Pell grants. Most incoming freshmen lack proficiency in critical reading and writing and struggle with academic success skills (i.e., note-taking and time management), as noted by a 42% failure in developmental courses and 28% in the college success course. Little Priest Tribal College seeks to serve all students, not discriminating on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other protected basis as defined by the State of Nebraska or under federal law, periodically amended into meet growing diversity and self-identity of all its students. To affectively fulfill its mission and in alignment with its strategic initiatives, Little Priest Tribal College proposes to continue to grow and improve its services by providing the college resources necessary to strengthen student services (Center for Learning and Academic Student Success), strengthen enrollment management and administration, and strengthen professional development for faculty, staff and campus administrators

Navajo Technical University  P031T200018

Navajo Technical University’s Title III, Part A project has six goals:

I. To continue developing the creative component of NTU’s curriculum, strengthening the cultural, STEM, and creative arts curricula.

II. To continue the development of the Wellness Center, especially strengthening programs that will help the university strengthen its operations during the pandemic crisis that has engulfed its educational mission.

III. To resolve past challenges with NTU’s Finance Department and its operations and end, once and for all, the challenges that have caused it to continually fail to meet its responsibilities.

IV. To successfully break ground on the new classroom building at the main campus in Crownpoint, NM and succeed at completing at least half of the construction process by the end of the Title III fiscal year.

V. To dramatically improve management of the Endowment originally established by Title III at NTU.

VI. To continue building the Title III portion of the Endowment by continuing to place matched Title III funds into its investment portfolio.

Each of these goals fits in with the long-term strategic plan of the university and supports different aspects of NTU’s development as a institution of higher learning that primarily serves poverty-level Navajo and Zuni Pueblo populations of students. There are also aspects of the project that attempt to strengthen NTU’s response to the current covid-19 crisis.

Several positions related to strengthening NTU’s effort to build a creative culture, a Creative Writing Arts Instructor, English Theatre Arts Instructor, and New Media Instructor, at the university are included as well as student peer-tutors to help with both the distance learning and measured build-up of in-class courses as an effort is made to recover from the ongoing crisis. Also included is a strategy to strengthen the university’s financial operations since problems with management of the Finance Department have surfaced and have to immediately be addressed. Hiring a consultant accounting firm to address this challenge is the most important part of the project. In addition to the curriculum and financial developmental projects, the project will continue development of the Wellness Center, trying to serve wellness needs of students sequestered at home by the Navajo Nation government as well as continued construction of the new three story academic building in Crownpoint at the main campus. In this category is continuing investment into the NTU Endowment with the appropriate matching dollars from other university sources.

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Nebraska Indian Community College    P031T200019

PO Box 428 – 1111 Highway 75

Macy Nebraska 68039

Phone: (402) 494-2311 extension 133

Justin Kocian, Title III Director

Direct: (402)241-5981

The Nebraska Indian Community College was founded in 1973 as the American Indian Satellite Community College. In June of 1981, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) approved the college for accreditation at the associate degree granting level. The institution was granted a charter by each of the three Nebraska Indian Tribes. A Board of Directors governs the college. To reflect its independent status, the Board renamed the institution the Nebraska Indian Community College.

Today, NICC serves the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, at the Macy Campus, and the Santee Sioux Nation, at the Santee Campus, and maintains a campus site in downtown South Sioux City, Nebraska. The mission of the college is “The Nebraska Indian Community College provides quality higher education and lifelong  educational opportunities for Umonhon (Omaha), Isanti (Santee Sioux) and all learners.”

The project under this grant program devotes time and resources to undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand the Nebraska Indian Community College’s capacity to serve Indian students. The four primary areas that are being undertaken with this program are to 

1) Develop and enhance academic support services, including advising and mentoring students; 2) undertake academic instruction in disciplines in which Indians are underrepresented; 3) strengthen the academic quality of the institution; and 4) improve the endowment fund.

Northwest Indian College  P031T200020

Northwest Indian College will use Title III Part-A funds to improve academic programs. Their will be a total of two activities for this project including degrees through access to degree programs with appropriate cultural content and strengthening the distance education components faculty development and tutorial services. For Part A we will be focusing on five objectives. In these five objectives we will focus on improving enrollment in four-year programs, offering experiential learning opportunities in a classroom setting, providing improved tutoring services, developing new academic programs to improve student enrollment numbers and streamline cultural required courses in order to increase graduation rate

Oglala Lakota College P031T200021

Institution Address: Box 490 Kyle, SD 57752-0490

Name of President: Thomas Shortbull

Telephone Number: 605-455-6020 E-mail: tshortb@olc.edu

Institution Address: Box 490 Kyle, SD 57752-0490

Oglala Lakota College is a tribally controlled college on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. The reservation is home to about 17,000 Oglala Lakota (Sioux) (HUD, 2020) on 3,468 square miles which is larger than Dela ware and Rhode Island combined. Oglala Lakota College also has the He Sapa Instructional Center in Rapid City which according to the 2010 US Census has a population of 12,000 Indian people (mostly Lakota) and the Cheyenne River Instructional Center in Eagle Butte, SD on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation which has about 14,600 Indian people. Cheyenne River has the poorest and Pine Ridge the 3rd poorest areas in America (US Census 2016).

OLC was chartered in 1971 by the Oglala Sioux Tribe to provide higher education on the Reservation and preserve and teach the Lakota language and culture. Oglala Lakota College was founded by the elders of the tribe in 1971 to counter the bleak statistics and to preserve the Lakota identity, culture and values. Until 1983 OLC operated under agreements with the South Dakota University system and offered mostly associates degrees. In 1983 OLC was accredited by the North Central Association at the associate’s level, in 1988 at the Bachelors level and in 1993 was allowed to offer a Masters in Lakota Leadership/Management. OLC currently has 1,300 a students a semester whom 65% are women and 95% are Native American. OLC has averaged over 150 degree graduates a year since 2010.

Although OLC is classified as a 4 year institution we offer degrees from Associates through Masters based on the needs of the Reservations and the Lakota people in western SD. OLC has an extensive GED program and operates the Pine Ridge Reservation Birth-5 Head Start Program at the request of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. OLC is a "communiversity" which strives for our vision " Rebuilding the Lakota Nation through Education."

Title of Activities

Academic Quality--OLC has a large and scattered student body. Our key objectives for Title III over the next five years are to:

1 Increase enrollment by 1% a year.

2. Increase retention by 2% a year. 

3. Increase persistence by 2% a year for 5 years (10%).

4. Increase the completion rate by 2% a year. Strategies for this include better communication, an early alert system, strengthening advising and mentoring including orientation, collecting and analyzing data, improving teaching methods, clarifying instructional programs and degrees for clear student expectations, improving the scheduling process, implementing and upgrading distance learning, providing faculty development in all areas, and reviewing and upgrading all course syllabi to be more effective and user friendly for distance learning.

We are a dispersed campus serving a large part of western SD. Our faculty travel to 11 instructional centers to teach courses so that our students do not have to travel far from their communities. Besides poverty our students work to overcome rural isolation, the digital divide, distances, cultural dissonance, poor academic preparation, dismal area health statistics and prevalence of substance abuse in families and communities. OLC is based in the communities and the culture and brings higher education to students who would have little change of attending college otherwise.

Salish Kootenai College P031T200022

Abstract – Facilities for the Future

Salish Kootenai College (SKC), the tribal college of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes located in Pablo, Montana on the Flathead Reservation, maintains a Facilities Master Plan, updated and revised annually, to guide construction and renovation of facilities in alignment with program development and fulfillment of our mission. This Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program will assist SKC in efforts to construct new, or expand and renovate existing, facilities. SKC will focus on the long-term infrastructure needs of the institution to house and improve programs in the critical goal areas of academic program improvement and student support services. The primary focus of this Part A program will be on facilities and infrastructure.

The Facilities Master Plan is revised annually by the SKC Board. In the past, natural disasters and severe weather have impacted the capacity of Salish Kootenai College to complete a project within the scope of time originally proposed. In addition, occasionally, a new problem is identified and must be addressed with urgency (like a failing roof) causing the institution to need to pivot quickly to a different short-term goal. Toward that end, we have created a list of anticipated projects that are essentially maintained as “shovel ready” allowing for rapid construction, renovation or repair in response to changing conditions. This is part of the plan, not a divergence from it. All projects are linked to academic program and students services improvements. Following is our list of potential Focus Projects:

Allied Health Building –New Construction

This new building with labs, classrooms, faculty and program offices, along with bays for clinical work in areas of specialization, is currently in Phase II of construction. Phase III and finishing will be the focus of Year 1 and 2 of this Facilities for the Future TCCU Part A application. At 25,190 square feet when all phases are complete, this new facility will accommodate growth and collaboration under the umbrella of our Indigenous Wellness focus of the SKC Part F application. At this critical time, we are gratified to know that this facility will support SKC in creating responsive programs that could include specializations in testing and contact tracing required to control infectious disease in vulnerable Tribal Communities.

John Peter Paul Building –Remodel

If selected for major remodel in project Year 3-4, the John Peter Paul Building, made available by the moving of Allied Health to their new homes, will be converted to house consolidated student support services under the umbrella of the Department of Academic Success.

Stevenson Education Building –Remodel/Expansion

If selected for major remodel in project Year 3-4, the Stevenson Building will be expanded to possibly house the additional cultural specialists and native language teacher education programs proposed in SKC’s Part F application.

Beaverhead Building –Remodel

If selected for major remodel in project Year 3-4, the Beaverhead Building will be remodeled to optimize instruction in STEM related programs.

Indigenous STEM is an emerging area of emphasis in the adding context and a critical lens to traditional Math and Science oriented degrees. This is the “value added” of all programs taught at Salish Kootenai College. Facilities for the Future supports the growth, improvement and critical development of all SKC programs.

Sinte Gleska University P031T200023   

Purpose:   To provide higher education opportunities to the Rosebud Sioux (Sicangu Oyate) tribe

Sinte Gleska University is in its 50th year of operating as an institution of post-secondary education, serving the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in south-central South Dakota. Sinte Gleska is one of the oldest tribal colleges in the nation, and was the first tribal college to offer the Bachelors and Masters degrees. SGU is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Title III funds from the U.S. Department of Education have been, and remain, a positive force in strengthening the institution and the delivery of educational programming to serve the tribe.

Over the years, the Title III funding has been instrumental in supporting curriculum and staff development, facilities, technology infrastructure , and opportunities for students to learn, grow and serve the larger tribal community.

The current mission statement (developed in spring of 2019, and approved by the Board of Regents in June of 2019) states that:

Sinte Gleska University strives to build a healthy tribal nation and sustain cultural identity by developing critical-minded lifelong learners who promote dialogue and analysis, value diversity and provide leadership.

In order to achieve this mission, the strategic planning team also developed 5 measurable objectives that would contribute to realizing the mission, as well as 7 strategies serving as means to reach those goals. The objectives included: finance (stable funding, with no deficit); recruitment (increase the number of incoming, new students); retention (improve student success, retain students from year to year); expand career/workforce engagement of students (return on investment;) and expand communication with staff and implement a staff recruitment plan. The seven strategies designed to address these objectives are: 1) improve marketing/branding communication, 2) implement staff development and staff recruitment plans, 3) increase competitive grants and general fund resources, 4) develop and implement a business partner program, 5) improve the use of data to impact programs and student success, 6) increase collaboration with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and 7) develop and implement a master facilities plan and a long-range technology plan.

At the time of writing this Title III proposal (April, 2020), the nation and the world is experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic. Having a long-range strategic plan in place allows the university to continue with focus on long-term goals and strategies, while also adjusting near term practices to deliver instruction via alternative means. This Title III proposal accomplishes this support by including funds for faculty and staff to design and implement new pedagogical methods, to increase students' access to online learning and communicating, to develop plans and curriculum to address new needs, and to evaluate and assess the efficacy of the new initiatives.

Sisseton Wahpeton College   P031T200024

12572 BIA Hwy 700

Agency Village, SD 57262 

 Fax Number:  605-742-0394  Telephone: 605-698-3966

President: Lane Azure     Telephone:         605-742-1125

Email:    president@swcollege.edu

Sisseton Wahpeton College was founded in 1979 and received full accreditation in 1994. We are an autonomous entity chartered the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (Tribe). The primary goal of this project is to strengthen the Sisseton Wahpeton College’s infrastructure in order to provide high quality higher education to the members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and others living on the Lake Traverse Reservation. As a small tribal college without direct financial support from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate or State government, resources are very limited.

Through the support of this project, SWC will implement aspects of the Strategic Plan and Fiscal Management plans that are consistent with the goals of the Department of Education for this program. The primary focuses will be fiscal stability and compliance issues, especially those targeting internal controls, in order to complete on-time and without comment the A133 audits and to secure HLC accreditation to expand allow the offering of baccalaureate degree programs.

Other areas of focus will include upgrading the College’s IT/Network infrastructure to support the objectives of this project and those found in the Part F proposal. Renovations and/or the construction of new facilities that would support instructional activities, fiscal stability, and IT improvements.

SWC is trying to improve its ability to address current and future needs by the use of analytics and related techniques. Therefore, the college is focused on strengthening and expanding the capabilities of the Office of Institutional Research created through prior support from Title III. While the use of institutional research has made important changes to the decision-making processes at the college, its capabilities must be increased.

Other areas of focus include the improvement of internal controls in Human Resources and Student Registration & Records. Additionally, other aspects of the college must be strengthen to secure approval to offer baccalaureate programs, such as the Library, Facilities, and Student Support Services

Sitting Bull College   P031T200025

Sitting Bull College (SBC) 9299 Highway 24, Fort Yates, ND is one of five original tribally-controlled colleges and is located on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation (SRSIR).  Dr. Laurel Vermillion is the president of the college. The college's purpose, expressed in our mission, is broad and takes responsibility not just for education but also for support the preservation of our culture and language and to the improvement of economic development: "Sitting Bull College is an academic and technical institution committed to improving levels of education and training and economic and social development of the people it serves while promoting responsible behavior consistent with the Lakota/ Dakota culture and language."

Founded in 1973, SBC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and serves more than 300 students each year. The College offers a broad range of transfer and technical Associate degree programs, certificates, and seven Bachelor's degree programs. Academic and other support services further meet our students' needs.

SBC's students are a diverse group with a number of at-risk characteristics. The majority of SBC students are Native American, older than average, female, low-income, first-generation, and underprepared for college work. Our faculty is dedicated to helping them succeed; ninety-two percent of all faculty have earned Master's or Doctorial degrees and serve SBCJ  s students at a ratio of 1:9.

The Standing Rock Indian Reservation is uniquely located in southern North Dakota and northern South Dakota. The land area is approximately 2,300,000 acres of which 1,408,000 acres are under federal and tribal jurisdiction. This Indian Reservation is larger than the States of Rhode Island and Delaware and approximately the size of Connecticut but with fewer than 4 persons per square mile as compared to 4,845 persons per sq. mile in Connecticut. The primary land use is ranching and dryland farming. These dismal circumstances and strategic planning have prompted SBC to apply to use the Title Ill Part A funds for the following:

• Develop new academic programs or new program options that show promise for increased student enrollment.

• Improve curriculum or methodology for existing academic programs to stabilize or increase student enrollment.

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute   P031T200026

Information:

Primary: Dr. Sherry Allison, President

Email: Sherry.Allison@bie.edu

Secondary: Karen Coffey, Special Programs Director

Email: karen.coffey@bie.edu

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute

PO Box 10146

9169 Coors Boulevard, NW

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87120

Phone: (505)922-6501 Fax: (505)346-2343

Description:

SIPI is a federally-operated, land grant postsecondary institution established in 1971. It is one of the 37 tribal colleges/universities in the United States and is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The college is funded by the U.S. Congress through the Bureau of Indian Education. SIPI offers certificates and associate degrees to members of federally recognized tribes throughout the U.S. An enduring commitment to student success is the hallmark of SIPI’s operations.

Length: Five-year (60 months) grant performance period, October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2025.

Concentration of Project:

To improve and increase student success outcomes, institutional enrollment, college access, and student completion using SIPI’s lifecycle approach.

Project Goals and Objectives:

1) Develop Programs to assist students to Transfer/Transitional Services in and out of college. Provide services to navigate students into a series of educational transitions, map their transition into college baccalaureate collegiate life, and moving into the workplace.

2) Develop curriculum for Allied Health Programs. Plan and implement new academic curriculum for allied health programs to support the health care delivery for tribes which will improve student enrollment.

3) Provide New Technology or Methodology to Support Success. Implement and provide future technology and trends which will enhance student learning, improve virtual learning to strengthen the academic quality of our students.

4) Provide Support Services and Initiatives to Improve Student Grit. Collect student data to measure grit for each student upon entrance into college in order provide systematic transformation on issues affecting students and their social and learning environments.

5) Professional Preparation/Development: Encourage ongoing professional development to improve student-centered

Stone Child College  P031T200027

Stone Child College (SCC) is a tribally chartered community college located on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation in north central Montana. The Chippewa Cree Tribal Business Committee chartered Stone Child College in 1984 with the mission of preserving and maintaining Chippewa Cree culture, language, tribal history and providing educational opportunities for tribal members. SCC’s Mission supports each student’s ability to meet his or her educational needs through accredited certificates and degree programs for transfer, workforce entry, and community and culturally related education. The College constantly aspires to be responsive to the community while being true to the Mission through cultural enrichment activities, outreach and retention activities, as well as quality degree and certificate program development. SCC was granted accreditation candidacy status during the spring of 1989 and granted initial accreditation in 1993 by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The most recent accreditation visit was in 2017 when a seven-person evaluation team conducted a Year Seven Evaluation Visit. SCC’s accreditation status was reaffirmed and the College is now preparing for a Mid-Cycle Report, which will consist of reporting disaggregated student assessment data for NWCCU’s Student Learning Standards.  Data collection and reporting for accreditation and continuous improvement was the focus of previous Title III grants and will continue to be a source for supporting future accreditation and assessment work, particularly around student growth and achievement, mission fulfillment, and institutional effectiveness.

The selected goals for the Title III 2020 Application are; (a) to document and report how SCC meets new accreditation standards using relevant and valid data; (b) to maintain clean financial and compliance audits through a new Grants Manager position; (c) to continue to maintain fiscal stability; (d) to provide the highest and latest technology, education, and services to SCC students; (e) to ensure that the core values and mission of SCC are the foundation for strategic plans for the College and its students; and (f) to increase the health and wellness of students and staff by providing additional resources and staff. SCC has developed a comprehensive Title III project, which encompasses several major priority areas. These priorities were based upon the critical needs identified by the visiting accreditation team in 2017, the most recent Mission Fulfillment/Institutional Effectiveness Accreditation Report (2019), and by the College-wide strategic planning and core theme team meetings. With the support from Title III funding, SCC will complete the following authorized activities.

1. Professional Development: Support staff and faculty to attain advanced degrees. Support will be provided to eight faculty and staff with three of these individuals projected to receive advanced degrees during this project period. Funding will also support ongoing faculty development on student assessment and achievement. 

2. Technology Software and Hardware Needs: Integrate computer technology into various SCC facilities such as the library, gymnasium, bookstore, faculty offices, and classrooms. Included in this is general consultative support for reporting, office software, and data analysis.

3. Institutional Assessment and Data Collection and Analysis: Data are analyzed to determine mission fulfillment and institutional effectiveness. Data and analysis are utilized for the NWCCU accreditation process and to inform SCC’s strategic plan.

4. Endowment: Increase the endowment fund by $100,000 this year, which includes $50,000 from non-federal SCC sources and $50,000 from the US Department of Education matching funds.

5. Student Information System Training and Consultant Services: The Crystal Report Training and other student data base development and training will be provided to all SCC faculty and staff. 

6. Four Year Teacher Education Program: Development and full accreditation of the 4-year Elementary Education program.

7. SCC Wellness Program: Create a well-coordinated, culturally relevant, and inclusive wellness program for students and staff.

8. Grants Management: A Grants Manager position will be created and filled in order to ensure all grants are administered per federal, state, tribal, or local standards.

Tohono O’odham Community College    P031T200028

Project Abstract: Our Circle of Strength

Sells, Arizona 85634

Our Circle of Strength is the Title III, Part A Program and the title reflects the strength in Tohono O'odham Community College students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The college was established to serve the residents of the Tohono O'odham Nation and nearby communities, with the vital goals of preparing students to contribute to the social, political, and economic life of the Tohono O'odham Nation and preserving the O’odham Himdag (cultural way of life).

Outreach  is offered  with  visits to K-12 schools in the area, radio shows, pre testing for class placement, dual enrollment efforts, and travel. Radio is the number one way to communicate on the Nation as not everyone has television or access to the internet. Some of our students are certified  as DJ's and create radio shows. The DJ' s learn to record and edit the shows. A two hour once-a- week show is created every week of the year communicating to the people of the Nation ongoing class information.

A new endeavor is our Phoenix site that is offering classes in O' odham History and Culture and O' odham language . We needed a coordinator for that site and he has been hired.  He also teaches some of the classes. We are looking into using virtual classrooms to be able to offer the classes we have at TOCC in Phoenix.

Retention is important and the Retention Coordinator uses the ongoing EARS (Early Alert Retention System) documentation that gives him the ability to have a "heads up" approach concerning at-risk students. Progress letters are sent to instructors every fourth, eighth, and twelfth weeks of each semester. Upon receiving the progress letters back from the instructors, the Retention Coordinator analyzes the results, has personal consultations with the students and instructors , and creates reports and alerts. Tutoring is a major component of our educational goals and tutors are available during school hours in all subjects. Tutors keep in touch with instructors to make sure they are "on-track" with the academic syllabi .

Instruction includes our information technology instructor and the Precollege instructors. The college offers several  Precollege classes across the Nation and in the correctional facility year round. Having a Pearson Testing Center on the college campus has facilitated students ' ability to take the test without driving 3-4 hours one way to get to a testing center. Computer skills have to be included in all precollege instruction  as the new test is a timed  online test and many students do not have keyboarding knowledge or experience.

Our Circle of Strength Title III, Part A funding is succeeding in enabling TOCC to improve and expand our capacity to serve Indian students on the Tohono Odhan Nation .

Turtle Mountain     P031T200029

“Strengthening Student Support Services”

David Ripley

P.O. Box 340 Belcourt, ND 58316

Phone# (701) 477-7862

dripley@tm.edu 10/01/2020 - 09/30/2025

Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC) is a tribally controlled two-year college chartered by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The College provides an environment that reinforces the rich Chippewa cultural heritage while maintaining academic quality and offering opportunities in career and technical education training.

The student population served by TMCC is mainly from the Turtle Mountain Band of Pembina Chippewa Indians Reservation located in the wooded Turtle Mountains of northernmost North Dakota; seven miles from the Canadian border. Despite its natural beauty, this geographically isolated area suffers from multi-generational trauma; low academic achievement; high poverty and unemployment, and other poverty driven factors. With a land base encompassing a 6 x 12 mile area, the Tribal membership living on and around the Reservation approximates 16,000; making Turtle Mountain one of the most densely populated reservations.

The US Census American Community Survey (ACS) reports median household income for Turtle Mountain Reservation residents at $27,796 companied to $53,046 for the US. Additionally noted is that 21% of reservation families and 18% in surrounding Rolette County families live on less than $10,000 annually according to American Community Survey.

Attending college can be a challenge for many students clue to the high incidence of poverty, low educational levels of achievement, rural isolation and distance to travel to alternative post secondary institutions. However, Title III continues to have a positive impact on the college ability to serve and expand the higher education needs of the Turtle Mountain Reservation community and the surrounding area. The 2019 fall semester enrollment was 531 and the spring 524. The college totaled 171 graduates this academic year; 120 graduated in the spring with 51 more after the summer session. (This number is accountable directly and indirectly to both Title III programs and their committed staff and faculty.) TMCC continues to have a high Native American enrollment at 99%, an average student age of 26 years old of which 58% are female.

OVERALL GOAL: To strengthen Student Support 1i Services to better serve all TMCC students. 

OBJECTIVE: 1) The College Social Worker, Institutional Finance Counselor, and Out Reach and Placement Coordinator will provide service opportunities to all TMCC students. 

2) The Ed. Tech Coordinator, Distance Delivery Coordinator and Computer Tech/repair areas are charged with addressing on-line response to instruction; brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic. 

3) The Safety Compliance Office is charge with the health and safety of all students and faculty/staff; in light of the COVID-19 epidemic.

4) A Grant Specialist shall organize and write institution grant applications. 

5) The Academic Success and 5 tutors will provide service to all TMCC students requesting academic help. 6) Content area Tutor area will provide tutoring for Career and Technology Education students.

United Tribes Technical College  P031T200030

Established in 1969, United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) is one of the oldest of the Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) in the United States. UTTC is owned and governed by the five Tribal Nations located wholly or in part in the State of North Dakota: Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara), and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Since UTTC’s inception as a workforce training center, UTTC has evolved to serve as an important source of educational services and a forum for intertribal discussion of program development aimed at the perpetuation of Tribal rights and promotion of economic development in Indian Country. The college offers certificate, diploma, associate and baccalaureate level programs of study and is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is fully approved to offer programs of study online. 

Over the past four decades, UTTC has offered a high quality college education in a supportive and culturally appropriate setting to thousands of Native students representing over 75 tribal nations. In doing so, UTTC provides crucial job training and other means of economic development in Indian country. Additionally, UTTC provides leadership and influences public policy on American Indian higher education issues through advocacy, research and program initiatives; promotes and strengthens indigenous cultures, communities and tribal nations; and in UTTC’s unique position as a residential inter-tribal campus, serves and supports other emerging Tribal educational and economic development efforts.

The overarching goals in this project are to increase student enrollment and to upgrade the college’s aging overall infrastructure through rehabilitation, renovations, construction, and maintenance to institutional facilities.

UTTC will use the formula based Title III Part A funding for two activities.

The project activities are:

1.Construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement of instructional facilities;

Achievement of these activities will be monitored through specific performance measures designed to address and improve the campus’s overall infrastructure. The improvement of the aging campus will help us attract and retain our student body and staff for years to come. The performance measures will be indicators of completion of projects such as the Education Building Remodel project and the underground electrical system. These such projects will enhance the learning and teaching environments for all members of the college, specifically by improving our instructional facilities and providing access for student learning.

White Earth Tribal and Community College P031T200031

Title:      WETCC Capacity Building Project

Institution :  White Earth Tribal and Community College

White Earth Nation, Minnesota

Location:  2250 College Road

Mahnomen, MN 56557

President:  Loma J. LaGue

Institutional Description;  Established in 1997 as the first tribally controlled college on the White Earth Reservation, White Earth Tribal and Community College is a two-year liberal arts college chartered by the White Earth Tribal Council. White Earth Tribal and Community College is affiliated with and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the north Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Length:  October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2025

Project Activities: The White Earth Tribal and Community College Capacity Building Project activities will include:

I .Develop academic support services, including advising and mentoring students. 

2.Funds and administrative management that will improve the institution's ability to manage financial resources in an efficient and effective manner.

3.Develop and improve academic programs. 

4.Develop or improve Student Services.

5.Develop and expand course schedules 

6.Provide maintenance and protective services to comply with health and safety issues on a growing and expanding campus.

7.Develop ways to assess student population.

Red Lake Nation College P031T200034

Title III Part A funding will be used entirely to support personnel costs for faculty and

academic services staff in order to provide Red Lake Nation College (RLNC) students with a

quality education grounded in Anishinaabe culture and values. These funds are instrumental in

providing fiscal stability for RLNC, allowing for sustainability of programming and progress

toward academic and other institutional goals. RLNC provides small, personalized student

services and financial aid, Native faculty and administration, and a focus on serving the local

community. Providing access to higher education and career opportunities to the members of the

Red Lake Nation is paramount to reducing chronic poverty and unemployment on the Red Lake

Indian Reservation. The mission of RLNC is to provide excellent higher education that is

grounded in the Ojibwe language and culture of the Red Lake Nation. RLNC strives to produce

graduates who will use their skills and education to meet their academic and career goals and help the Red Lake Nation grow and prosper.

Title III Part A funds will support four of our six permanent faculty, along with qualified

adjunct faculty hired for individual courses as needed each semester. Permanent faculty covered

include instructors in math, science, English, and Ojibwe language. The two other permanent

faculty are supported through USDA funding. Permanent and adjunct faculty support, document,

and interact with students through Canvas Learning Management System and Popular Student

Management System. RLNC was, therefore, well positioned to make the March 2020 transition

from in-person to online courses in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Title III Part A funds will also support academic services personnel, including the Director

of Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness, Registrar, and Financial Aid Coordinator. These

staff members provide key roles for continuous improvement in institutional goals and student

success. We are nearing the completion of the four-year accreditation process with the Higher

Learning Commission (HLC). The RLNC team of administrators, faculty, staff, and students is

are excited to meet with the HLC reviewers to showcase our accomplishments to complete this

final accreditation step, now scheduled for September 2020.

College of the Muscogee Nation  P031T200035

“Student Success Project” 

The College of the Muscogee Nation, located in Okmulgee, Oklahoma is requesting funding for operation of our Student Success Project (SSP). Information included in the Project Narrative describes the plans for continued implementation and sustainability of this project. The student success objectives are designed to serve Native American students in their quest to reach their goals in higher education.

The project personnel provides assistance to students in the following areas: academic advisement, retention support, counseling opportunities, placement testing services, community outreach, tutoring, instruction, academic support, and campus safety. Each of the services offered are designed to focus on a specific area of need for underserved students, and address those needs in a manner that supports and provides instruction for students. By providing all students with the necessary information to make effective decisions, students are encouraged to become informed and accountable while on the path to their degree.

The College of the Muscogee Nation faculty and staff are dedicated to helping students gain knowledge and behaviors required for success. The continued implementation of this project and the outlined objectives are monitored and supervised by the Dean of Student Affairs. Twelve (12) full-time employees maintain focus specifically on the program's components to ensure the success of the program, which is ultimately the success of our students. Grant funding will be used solely on the project's daily activities and programs

.

Evaluation of programs is an integral function for our activities, as we recognize the importance of student feedback. Surveying students who utilize services allows CMN to gather relevant data to refine the processes and services available to students. As the characteristics of the student population has evolved, the project has become imbedded in the organization's structure and allows us to better serve our students.