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<div class=Section1>
<h2><b><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:navy;font-weight:normal'>The </span></font></b><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy;font-weight:normal'>University</span></font><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy;font-weight:normal'> of </span></font><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;
font-weight:normal'>Arizona Library</span></font><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;
font-weight:normal'> has </span></font><span class=apple-style-span><i><font
size=3 color=navy face=Arial-ItalicMT><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Arial-ItalicMT;color:navy;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic'>Serving Native
American Students</span></font></i></span><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;font-weight:normal'> as
may many other libraries. You need to look under the journal title </span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>New Directions for Student Services</span></font><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy;font-weight:normal'> to find it in our online catalog. It is volume
2005, issue 109.</span></font></h2>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Sara</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Sara C. Heitshu</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Librarian, Social Science Team</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>American Indian Studies, Linguistics,
Anthropology</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a
href="mailto:heitshus@u.library.arizona.edu">heitshus@u.library.arizona.edu</a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>520-307-2781</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>fax 520-621-9733</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>University of Arizona Main Library</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>PO Box 210055</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Tucson, AZ 85721-0055</span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> Indigenous Languages and
Technology [mailto:ILAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Andre Cramblit<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Sunday, April 30, 2006 10:10
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> ILAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [ILAT] Native Student
Success</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><b><font size=3 color="#ee5018"
face=Arial-BoldMT><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial-BoldMT;
color:#EE5018;font-weight:bold'>Pathways for Indian Student Success</span></font></b></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>American Indian students are the
least likely of all college-goers to earn a degree, and they’re more likely
than members of any other racial group to drop out, according to federal data.
Research to date hasn’t been able to explain all of the hows and whys behind
this phenomenon, but many student affairs professionals say that it’s time to
tackle the problem.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Leaders of the National
Association of Student Personnel Administrators, an organization that represents
about 11,000 student affairs officials in higher education, have taken note of
the complex issues that face American Indian students. While the organization
has been holding its annual convention for 88 years, this year, for the first
time ever, addressing the recruitment and retention of American Indian students
has played a substantial role at the meeting, due largely to the concerns of
administrators who serve such students — both at mainstream institutions and at
tribal colleges and universities.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>“We wanted to make sure that there
was always a place for indigenous peoples in NASPA,” said Gwendolyn Jordan
Dungy, executive director of the organization, at a special day-long “Summit on
Serving Native American Students: From Discussion to Action,” which was held on
Sunday. The forum highlighted the formation of a new NASPA-affiliated group
called the Indigenous Peoples Knowledge Community, which is intended as a
network for administrators nationwide to share best practices for serving
Indian students. A new listserv is also in the works.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>“We are past the time for
talking,” said Henrietta Mann, a professor emeritus in Native American Studies
at Montana State University at Bozeman, during her keynote address. “We need to
establish effective action plans to maintain our historical cultures and to
shape the future for Native American students in higher education.”</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>George S. McClellan, vice
president for student development at Dickinson State University, in North
Dakota, said that Indian students tend not to use student services, and that
those services that they do use tend to be focused on financial aid. His
findings came as a result of a recent study by researchers at the University of
Arizona, which has one of the largest Indian populations of all mainstream
institutions in the country. He said that colleges need to incorporate
incentives for getting students to seek service. At the University of North
Dakota, for example, a student must visit the Native student affairs at least
two times a year in order to be eligible for tuition assistance programs</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>“Both Native and non-Native
professionals and professional associations must play a role in bringing about
the needed changes in higher education with respect to better serving Native
American students,” said McClellan. “A critical component in achieving the goal
of increasing rates of participation and persistence is to recognize and act on
the knowledge that building student success begins long before Native students
arrive on campus.” Based on his own observations, he said that having American
Indian faculty members and staff tends to help Indian students feel more
connected to their campuses.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Shelly Lowe, a student service
provider at the University of Arizona, said that higher education professionals
need to become aware of and make use of indigenous theories, models and
practices in seeking to support Native American students, staff and faculty.
She said that a book she co-authored with McClellan and Mary Jo Tippeconic Fox,
</span></font></span><span class=apple-style-span><i><font face=Arial-ItalicMT><span
style='font-family:Arial-ItalicMT;font-style:italic'>Serving Native American
Students,</span></font></i></span><span class=apple-style-span><font
face=ArialMT><span style='font-family:ArialMT'> which is available </span></font></span><a
href="http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0787979716.html"><span
class=apple-style-span><font color="#004477" face=ArialMT><span
style='font-family:ArialMT;color:#004477;text-decoration:none'>online</span></font></span></a><span
class=apple-style-span><font face=ArialMT><span style='font-family:ArialMT'>,
provides several examples that have been helpful for some Indian students.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>“Footnotes indicating that
findings on Native Americans are not statistically significant and so are
omitted from the research are too often the only reference to Native Americans
in much of the literature in higher education,” added Lowe. She suggested that
although qualitative research is often more time-consuming than quantitative
research that this methodology could be helpful.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Ruth Harper, a professor of
counseling and students affairs at South Dakota State University, said that
qualitative research is one of the best ways to understand Indian students,
even though one cannot make generalizations from it. She recently used the
method to study several Lakota male students who attend Sinte Gleska
University, in South Dakota. For these men, she said integrating aspects of
American Indian culture with counseling was important to them, as were ways to
address concrete issues, including travel, costs and child care. One man told
Harper that the Lakota language courses he has taken at the university “mean my
life.”</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Many administrators at the summit
said they weren’t under the impression that forming an action-focused committee
would be a magic bullet. With 562 federally recognized tribes and many
state-recognized tribes — all with different cultures and languages, Indian
students are one of the most heterogeneous groups around. Further complicating
matters is that fact that some students are deeply concerned about making
Native culture and language an integral part of their education, while others
don’t hold this as a priority.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Still, most said that focusing on
culture is crucial — not only in helping Native students succeed, but also in
fostering generations of students who are connected to their unique histories.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:5.75pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Along these lines, Mann said that
indigenous people have a right to their own identities, languages and cultures,
but that mainstream institutions of higher education often have not provided
students with avenues to achieve these rights. “Language is the lifeblood of
our cultures and is rooted in the Earth,” she said. She added that no matter
where an Indian student attends college, administrators have the obligation to
honor students’ cultural heritage and spirituality, especially if they are
expressing the desire for this kind of support. She said that her own
institution has worked diligently to strengthen its Native American Studies
program, which currently offers a minor and master of arts degree.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:5.75pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>“Cultural pluralism is a gift,”
added Mann. “But too often we are left out of programs on campuses. We need to
change that.”</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:5.75pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Several administrators who have
collaborated with tribal colleges, said that such institutions are able to
infuse language and culture into a student’s learning experience in ways that
mainstream institutions often do not. Research indicates that tribal colleges
have improved participation and persistence rates of American Indian students
by creating culturally relevant learning environments.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:5.75pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=3 face=ArialMT><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:ArialMT'>Still, because many tribal
colleges are two-year institutions, there was a general concern that the
institutions cannot meet the full educational needs of many Indian students.
Student affairs professionals at the summit said that mainstream institutions
must find ways to collaborate with tribal college officials to learn what works
for their students, and to determine what actions can be taken on campuses
nationwide to improve the experience for Indian transfer students.</span></font></span></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal align=right style='margin-right:6.0pt;margin-bottom:6.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:right'><span class=apple-style-span><b><font
size=3 face=Arial-BoldMT><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial-BoldMT;
font-weight:bold'>— </span></font></b></span><a
href="mailto:rob@insidehighered.com"><span class=apple-style-span><b><font
color=black face=Arial-BoldMT><span style='font-family:Arial-BoldMT;color:black;
font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none'>Rob Capriccioso</span></font></b></span></a></p>
<O:P></O:P>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-align:auto'><i><font
size=3 face=Times><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Times;font-style:
italic'>The original story and user comments can be viewed online at </span></font></i><a
href="http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/03/15/indians"><i><font
color="#004477" face=Times><span style='font-family:Times;color:#004477;
font-style:italic;text-decoration:none'>http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/03/15/indians</span></font></i></a><i><font
face=Times><span style='font-family:Times;font-style:italic'>.</span></font></i></p>
<O:P></O:P></div>
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