Funding Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions through Collaboration Angie Rochat Director of Sponsored Research & Federal Relations Fort Lewis College

College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2008 (CCRAA) Initially funded under the Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Title III as a two year pilot project Eligible institutions must qualify for Title III, as well as have a Native American student enrollment of at least 10% Funded Institutions include: East Central University (OK), Heritage University (WA), Fort Lewis College (CO) San Juan College (NM); Seminole State College (OK) University of North Carolina at Pembroke (NC)

Fort Lewis College History Historic Mission: Named for the 19 th century military post where the first campus was located, plays an historic role as an undergraduate, public, four-year liberal arts college with a special commitment to Native American education. The College’s creation was part of a treaty agreement in which the region’s tribes ceded land to the federal government, which transferred the land to the State of Colorado in 1911 “to be maintained as an institution of learning to which Indian students will be admitted free of tuition and on an equality with white students” in perpetuity (Act of 61 st Congress, 1911).

FLC Stats Fall 2008, 758 Native Americans (22% of total enrollment), representing 105 different tribes and Alaskan Villages Half of the enrolled students are Navajo and the second largest cohort are Alaskan Natives FLC ranks 7 th in the nation in percent of full-time Native American undergraduates Ranked 1 st in the nation in baccalaureate degrees awarded to Native American students (American Indian Science & Engineering Society, Winds of Change, 2008) Ranked 2 nd in STEM degrees awarded to Native Americans (NSF Web Caspar 2008)

Location of the College is within 150 miles of 25 Indian Tribes

Best Practice Elements Mission-Matched Participants Student Centered Mutually Beneficial Partnerships Full Disclosure Genuine Commitment to Diversity Administrative Buy-In and Ownership Record of Minority Student Success or Commitment to the Same Grant Procurement as the Result of Collaboration Congressional Advocacy

What Works Take the time to explore common interest, problems, or complementary needs Clear roles & responsibilities (fiscal agent, management plan, drafts of work plan) – clarity will enhance the project Exchange programs are preferable to those in which only the minority institution’s participants (students, faculty/staff) leave their home campus Strong working relations among sponsored research officers, department chairpersons, and faculty are integral to successful collaborations Minority serving professors of PUIs do not have time to engage in intensive research, because of heavy teaching loads, their expertise can lie in teaching and mentoring, which is often a complimentary element to any proposal Control of budgets and negotiations for MI/PUI within the partnership – full subawards vs. small consultant fee

Examples of Successful Collaborations The FLC & Dine College Navajo Teacher Outreach Program - Since 1992 enrolls 40 pre-service candidates per year on the Navajo Nation to gain teacher certification From nearly 85% of program participants graduated (Knight, 2009) compared to national rates that find only 26% of Native American students in a traditional, campus based teacher education program design.

Examples of Successful Collaborations University of Nebraska Medical Center and Fort Lewis College (NIH MARC grant) – undergraduate minority (mainly Native) biology students participate in academic year research & mentoring at FLC, which prepares them for summer research experience at UNMC. Both faculty & students go to UNMC for summer research, as well as one week during the academic year.

Common Difficulties Lack of or scale of Minority Serving Infrastructure Travel Release Time vs. Stipends Internal Processes Experience with grants & contracts Research Agenda vs. Teaching Agenda dilemma Competing and/or Opposing Research Agendas Physical Location Students’ financial issues – tuition waiver for NA students

NCURA Spring Meeting April 5-8, 2009 Thank You!!! Contact Information: Telephone: (970)