The American Indian College Fund is releasing three briefs with findings from a three-part research project on tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) it conducted in 2020-2021. The focus of the research includes TCU student support services, program development and review, and sustainability.

Despite their importance in Indian Country, little research has been done about TCUs, and instead research focuses on the Indigenous student experience at predominantly white institutions. The College Fund partnered with a selection of TCUs to begin filling this data gap and to offer insights into TCU practices and how to best support them.

“Assuring the Quality of Academic Programs at Tribal Colleges and Universities” is one of three briefs released with this research goal in mind. The study and brief, funded by a grant from the Lumina Foundation, are the result of a collaboration between the College Fund and five TCUs. The College Fund conducted interviews with institutional leaders, faculty, and staff; reviewed available literature; and reviewed each institution’s strategic plan during the project.

TCUs follow the same path as other mainstream higher education institutions to accreditation. Colleges and universities develop quality assurance processes to evaluate potential new programs and current programs to meet the accreditation requirements of third-party nongovernmental organizations, such as the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Accreditation by such organizations is formal assurance that the institution or specific program has met a minimum level of quality. Accreditation is also a gateway to critical federal funding for students and a requirement for TCUs to join the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, a national organization of TCUs. All five TCUs who participated in this study are accredited by the HLC.

Quality programs are typically defined as those with clear learning outcomes to help students get meaningful jobs, seamlessly transfer to other institutions, and lead personally satisfying lives. An accrediting body may weigh job placements or on-time graduation rates as metrics to determine the quality of a program or institution. Although TCUs also prioritize these outcomes, they must respond to the training and educational needs expressed by their tribal councils and communities. This research brief provides an in-depth look into the quality assurance processes at TCUs.

The study identified four major themes around academic program development, the preferred term participants used when discussing postsecondary credentialing or quality assurance practices. TCUs use a four-step process similar to mainstream colleges when developing new academic programs: planning, internal review, external review, and program implementation. TCUs engage in vertical and horizontal program development to create deeper and broader academic program offerings and regularly review existing academic programs for relevancy and quality. TCUs are influenced in the development and review of academic programs by contextual and cultural factors specific to their charters as Indigenous higher education institutions, for example, as when they develop Native language courses to meet tribal community needs.

For decades, TCUs have offered quality, culturally based, accredited academic programs to benefit Native students and communities. The findings from this study will provide a foundation for future research about quality assurance practices at TCUs. To read or download a copy of “Assuring the Quality of Academic Programs at Tribal College and Universities”, please visit https://resources.collegefund.org/file/assuring-the-quality-of-academic-programs-at-tribal-colleges-and-universities/

Erik Dutilly, research and evaluation associate at the American Indian College Fund, said, “Tribal colleges and universities are some of the most unique and creative higher education institutions in the country. Their academic program development reflects their uniquely Indigenous approach and is infused with a deep sense of responsibility to cultural values, community resilience, political sovereignty, and education as a cornerstone to thriving Native people and communities.”

Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, added, “In my 40-plus years of working within the tribally controlled education movement, I have witnessed the transformative impact of a college education on individuals and families in our tribal communities. That transformation is rooted in the quality of that education experience which is multi-faceted—culturally-rooted, place-based, and employment-focused. This research affirms why this happens—the staff and faculty of TCUs are thoughtful, community-driven, and responsive to tribal priorities and to the requirements for accountability through internal and external reviews.”