Supporting the Attainment of Native Students in Higher Education

Source: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)

URL: https://www.wiche.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/NSI-Exemplars-Report-FINAL-4.22.21.pdf

Authors: Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)

Recently, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) released a case study to share how Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs) have successfully developed and implemented practices to advance American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) students’ persistence and academic success on their campuses. This study examines practices at five institutions: two two-year colleges and three four-year universities located in North Carolina and Oklahoma.

The report offers the following recommendations for institutions to improve and advance the academic success of American Indian or Alaska Native students:

1. Provide culturally responsive service and care for AI/AN students, rather than expecting students to adjust themselves.
2. Enhance relationships with tribal nations. This relationship and tribal sovereignty are critical for the success of AI/AN students. Institutions should consistently involve tribal nations to co-develop academic programs, create co-curricular classes, and build institutional identity and goals.
3. Institutions must prioritize AI/AN students’ success as their core value so that becomes embedded in their academics, administrations, leadership, and operations.

To read the full report, please click here.

—Haelim Chun