Tribal College Contributions to Local Economic Development

14whereas Stone Child College and Bay MillsCommunity College employed less than 30people. It is also important to note that at thetribally controlled colleges 57 percent of employeeswere American Indian, compared to3 percent at rural community colleges overall.The percentage varied according to position—76percent of full-time staff wereAmerican Indian, compared to 26 percent offull-time faculty.Finally, Tribal Colleges provide essential servicesto local residents, businesses, and tribalgovernments. Such public service activitiesinclude continuing education and GEDcourses, health and counseling clinics, libraryservices, cultural programs, management ofpublic housing, and provision of catering servicesto students, Head Start programs, andeven local prisons. Tribal Colleges often areuseful to the tribal leadership by analyzingvarious economic trends and other factorsthat will influence the tribal economy(Houser, 1992). In addition, they can serveas focal points for local development initiatives,providing coordination and leadership.Figure Five: Average Spending on Employee Compensation by TribalColleges, Compared to all Rural Community Colleges, FY 1996Millions of dollars76543210$2,115,128Tribal Colleges(including Diné College)$1,942,027Tribal Colleges(excluding Diné College)$6,344,057All rural communitycollegesNote: Data were available for 25 tribally controlled colleges. Employee compensation includessalaries and other benefits.Source: NCES, 1996aFigure Six: Average Number of Employees at Tribal CollegesCompared to all Rural Community Colleges, 19951009080Workforce andSkills Development“[Salish Kootenai College] had the simpleidea that Indian people and Indianorganizations knew the degree and certificateprograms that they wanted.In addition, it decided to ask them.”— Kellogg Commission on the Future ofState and Land-Grant Universities, 1999706050403020100Full-time faculty atTribal CollegesFull-time staffat Tribal CollegesTotal (includingpart-time employees)at Tribal CollegesTotal at all ruralcommunity collegesOther race/ethnicitiesNote: Data were available for 20 tribally controlled colleges.Source: NCES, 1995aAmerican Indian/Alaska NativeImproving the skills and expertise of the localworkforce is an essential role of TribalColleges. As development on reservations becomesmore complex, future managers andbusiness owners will require a greater levelof business skills, flexibility, and managementexpertise. “Tribal Colleges can play a critical role in economicdevelopment in Indian Country by thoroughly preparing thenext generation of managers and entrepreneurs” (Houser,1992, p. 15). Tribal Colleges encourage workforce developmentin several ways: they match their curricula with localneeds; they increase the overall skill levels—and commensurateearnings—of the local labor force; and they contributeto higher rates of employment by graduating students whoare then employed within the community.Tribal Colleges’ Contributions to Local Economic Development