>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: We know that there are various types of institutions in higher
education. For example, we have four-year colleges and universities and we also have
two-year colleges. But there are also institutions like HBCUs and Tribal Colleges. So to talk
more about tribal colleges, I have today Dr. Heather Shotton, who is an assistant professor
in the Native American Studies Program here at the University of Oklahoma and then she's
also the former President of the National Indian Education Association. Thank you so
much for joining me today.
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: Thank you.
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: So let's start by talking a little bit about the history of
tribal colleges. What are some of the key points about how tribal colleges came to be?
And then we'll move into a conversation about the present landscape of tribal colleges.
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: In the 60s and and 70s, just in terms of the landscape and the
climate for tribes and policies around Native people, we saw a lot of changes in federal
policy and a lot of movements that were happening during that time. During the 60s, we saw a
real turn towards self-determination for tribes.
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: Mmhmm.
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: We see that in federal policy, and we see that through activist activity,
through the American Indian movement. We see that in in a number of areas that involve
Native people. One of those areas is in education. So in 1968 in line with that move toward self-determination
for tribes, meaning that tribes had gotten to a point where we had been in these policies
that had really been more of a trust-responsibility, a more paternalistic responsibility for the
federal government dictating to tribes what they should do and how they should be. We'd
also moved out of a period of termination, where the federal government was trying to
terminate their responsibility and the relationship between the federal government and tribes.
We see the switch to self-determination, where tribes are saying, "We know what's best for
us. We know how to govern ourselves. We know how to take care of our tribal citizens. We
understand what's best for our people. Within that, we see this move in education with the
establishment of the Navajo Community College, which is today Diné College. In 1968 the
Navajo Community College was established, and it was the first tribal college, and it
was really this movement in education, this movement toward tribal colleges was a response
to the lack of success for Native students in higher education. It was also about stud—Native
students not having access to higher education. So many students who were in geographically
isolated areas, -
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: Mmhmm.
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: - so geographically isolated reservation areas in particular that
might not have physical access to four-year institutions, or even two-year institutions,
to community colleges. So you're talking about people who—the closest institution of higher
education, whether it was a two-year or a four-year institution, might have been four
hours away. So we think about the rest of the country and and just the physical access
that we often have to institutions. If we think about the state of Oklahoma—
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: Mmhmm.
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: --how many institutions, whether they be community colleges, or regional
institutions, or state institutions that most people have some immediate access geographically.
But many Native students and and tribal citizens didn't have that kind of access geographically.
Also, Native students weren't fairing well in higher education. Retention and graduation
rates were really low. And and tribes were feeling like mainstream institutions were
just not meeting the needs of their students or their citizens. And so we had the establishment
of tribal colleges and universities. So again, Navajo Community College in 1968 was the first
tribal college that was established in the United States. And then there were a number
of other tribes that followed suit -
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: Mmhmm.
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: - and other tribal colleges that were established. And so we
see this this shift of self-determination for tribes and taking back control of education
because the history of education with tribes and with Native people and the federal government
had really been a history of the federal government dictating and using education as a way to
assimilate Native people. And so in 1978, there was a push for federal policy, -
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: Mmhmm.
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: - and we had the Tribally Controlled Community Colleges Act that was
signed into law in 1978. So about 9 or 10 years later after the first tribal college
was established. And this provided for federal funding for these types of institutions.
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: So it was an opportunity to not only have ownership of the education,
but ownership of meeting the needs of the people in the tribes as well?
>>Dr. Heather Shotton: Right. And, you know, really meeting the needs of their citizens,
the students, but also the immediate needs of the tribe in that area, -
>>Dr. Stephanie Blackmon: Okay.
>>Dr Heather Shotton: - and providing the services that often those communities really
do need.