by Roz Brown for Public News Service
There were very few pandemic upsides but one shone a spotlight on the critical needs faced by Native American communities. Yet six years later, investment needed to build long-term economic sustainability has faltered.
A new report from the American Indian College Fund and the Brookings Institution found tribal colleges and universities are delivering strong returns for their communities but inconsistent federal and philanthropic funding makes it harder for schools to plan for long-term success.
Elmer Guy, president of Navajo Technical University, said Native students are eager to make a contribution.
"To solve some of the problems that we are faced with, with water, with the environment, with technology now. As Indigenous nations, we have to solve our own problems and then keep these professionals home for them to give back," Guy emphasized.
The report showed federal funding for tribal campuses fell more than 7% over the past decade and philanthropic giving remains limited and unpredictable. It is estimated about 15% of Indigenous people hold a college degree, which is less than half the national average, with financial support a major hurdle for many students.
Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said the report provided significant evidence of chronic underfunding by the federal government, despite trust and treaty obligations for Native Americans. She feels there are lost opportunities for Native communities to work past historical inequities.
"You can't really have this self-determination in the Native community without being a culturally grounded, well-educated person," Crazy Bull contended.
According to the report, every dollar invested in tribal colleges and universities returns $1.60 in tax revenue and public sector savings. Guy noted in tribal communities, postsecondary opportunities at a nearby campus are still viewed as essential pathways to job and career stability.
"It's important for Indian nations. If we are going to be self-determined, we need those professionals, those environmental science people. We need the animal science people, the engineers," Guy stressed.
Guy added earlier this year, the state of New Mexico contributed more than $5 million to help build a new academic building at the Navajo Technical University's Crownpoint campus.