Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - Indian schools deserve funds

Indian schools deserve funds

Jan 22, 2007 - 04:03:19 CST

North Dakota’s tribal colleges and universities are the stepchildren of education.

Often ignored, they have been left to fend for themselves. Through federal funding and donations they have been able to grow, filling an important role in the education of American Indians.

The five schools in the state are Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates; United Tribes Technical College, Bismarck; Fort Berthold Community College, New Town; Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt; and Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Fort Totten.

While the focus of the schools remains the education of Indians, they also serve others. Students also are non-enrolled Indians and are non-Indians from the surrounding communities.

They are called nonbeneficiary students because the colleges don’t receive federal funding for them.

But the colleges welcome them. They provide diversity for the campuses. And the education they receive make them more valuable members of their communities.

At the moment there are 175 nonbeneficiary students attending the five colleges. According to the colleges, last year they received about $5,000 per Indian student from the federal government.

The colleges would like the state to provide them help in educating the nonbeneficiary students. They are asking, through House Bill 1395, for $700,000 over the next two years to help defray the costs of the nonbeneficiary students.

This isn’t the first time the Legislature has been asked to help. But in the past, the requests were rejected.

The colleges argue the bill isn’t a precedent-setter. Since the nonbeneficiary students aren’t covered by federal funding, the schools absorb the costs of educating them.

If these students were attending other state schools, those schools would be coverng the costs.

The costs involve the number of staff and supplies needed by the schools.

Some argue the state shouldn’t get involved in Indian schools. That they are separate, like Jamestown College and the University of Mary.

However, the Indian schools don’t fit the same mold.

While they receive federal funding, there are strings attached. One of the strings says nonbeneficiary students aren’t covered.

And the funding they receive isn’t automatic.

Every year, UTTC goes through a dance with the Bush administration to get funds included in the budget for the school.

That dance is going on right now.

It’s unsettling for a school to never know how much, if any, money it will receive each year.

HB1395 would provide a little reassurance to the five schools providing an education for their communities. An education that hopefully should help lift the areas out of the economic doldrums.

The bill will be heard at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Pioneer Room by the House Education Committee.

Lawmakers should give it serious consideration and a do-pass recommendation.

News > Opinion

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Comments

ND in MD wrote on Jan 22, 2007 7:54 PM:

" First, there is no such thing as "FREE" education, someone pays for it. Second, if native american have supported the Fighting Sioux, why hasn't the NCAA backed down. The NCAA back down when the Seminoles supported Florida State. And, by the way, I am not a UND alumni, I graduated from the other university in Fargo - the Sioux's one time arch rival. Lastly, when states need extra money they do get it from another state. Washington has no money ot its own, all they have is what they take from the people. Unlike North Dakota, some states send more money to Washington then they get back. It is people like Lord Byron, Little Kent and the Earl who redistribute it. "

CurrentStudent wrote on Jan 22, 2007 3:15 PM:

" I go to the University of Mary. I pay tuition, I pay for housing, I pay for meal plans, and all the other nickel and dime bills a school gets you for. I work three part time jobs during the school year, and also work a full-time and two part time jobs during the summer to pay for my school, and still have loans. THATS WHAT SCHOOL LOANS ARE FOR! You don't hear me complaining to the state for their surplus to cover my bills, nor should you. I am a white american, and if I went to UTTC I would get billed for school. That's life, get over it. "

saj wrote on Jan 22, 2007 1:51 PM:

" What happened to the "FREE" education that we were promised? "

PO3 wrote on Jan 22, 2007 1:36 PM:

" Native americans have given so much cooperation with the Sioux Logo and nickname I don't see why UND alumni and other taxpayers can't kick in and help the indian schools out in their time of need. "

NDr wrote on Jan 22, 2007 1:36 PM:

" The tribes say they are "states". So, act like a "state". When a person from another state attends a ND university they pay OUT OF STATE tuition which is higher than what a resident pays. The tribes need to decide. Are you North Dakotan's or a seperate state? If you are a "state", then act like one and charge out of state residents (white, blacks, whatevers) a higher fee. If you need more money, go to Washington. That's what "states" do. They don't go ask for their neighboring states to give them money. "

UTTC student wrote on Jan 22, 2007 12:34 PM:

" Obviously, some of you are not reading this article ver closely. What it's saying is that when white, yellow, or black people that are not native americans attend tribal schools. The school does not get any funding for them. This bill does not have anything to do with UND or TRIBAL CASINO'S. Those are not even associated in the same context. I was in Washington when Conrad and Dorgan were working on restoring the funding for UTTC in 2002. This has been going on for over 7 years and it should stop. This bill would benefit the colleges and students. If I'm not in class you can see me at the capitol on 10 am tuesday. "

ND in MD wrote on Jan 22, 2007 11:52 AM:

" If approved, would all tribal councils in North Dakota work to supprt UND in their fight to keep the Fighting Sioux nickname? Would the tribal councils appraoch teh NCAA and request they stop hammering on UND? "

NoDak John wrote on Jan 22, 2007 11:24 AM:

" How does one become an independent dependant? The Indian nations are sovereign and seperate IF they want to keep it that way. Hooking oneself to Mother Sow is not a good way to maintain sovereignty. "

change of heart wrote on Jan 22, 2007 9:46 AM:

" $700,000 over 2 years benefitting about 175 kids attending 5 schools sounds like a bargain to me!!! I have been critical of tribal education in the past but this will cost the state of ND only about $1 for each citizen. How the money will be actually spent and will the colleges be held accountable is another story. Would the colleges actually get the funds? "

dbeesh wrote on Jan 22, 2007 8:18 AM:

" Two words - tribal casinos. "

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