Tribal Colleges and Universities. Updated June 2019. Defined in Higher Education Act of 1965 the term ‘‘Tribal College or University’’ means an institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) are tribally controlled institutions with unique characteristics – a majority American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) student enrollment, predominately or entirely Native governing boards, culturally rooted curriculum, community-driven programming, and a commitment to tribal self-determination. A background primer on Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). This also reflects a return to reservations by numerous American Indians, for instance, on the Great Plains. Each qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. Get the complete guide to degree programs at tribal colleges and universities Sign up for our twice monthly e-newsletter and get a free copy of the complete guide to degree programs, certificates, diplomas, and awards at tribal colleges and universities. 5 June 2019 In Issue Primers. The first tribal colleges were established in the late-1960s in the wake of the civil rights and the American Indian self-determination movements to increase access to higher education for young people growing up on reservations. According to fall 2010 enrollment data, 8.7 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) college students were attending one of the 32 accredited TCUs. By 2003, it had increased to 30,000. “All of us who have worked with tribal colleges and universities since their founding in 1968 recognized that these place-based, culturally-rooted institutions transformed lives and communities,” said Cheryl Crazy Bull, president and CEO of the College Fund, in a statement. The Tribal College movement grew out of the American Indian "self-determination" movement of the 1960s. Postsecondary National Policy Institute. Postsecondary National Policy Institute. 718 7th Street NW WW, Floor 2 Washington, DC 20001 202.407.3172 pnpi@pnpi.org. In 1982, the total enrollment at tribal colleges in the United States was approximately 2,100. 1801 et seq.) The majority of tribal colleges and universities are located on isolated Indian reservations. Tribal Colleges and Universities are chartered by their respective tribal governments, including the ten tribes within the largest reservations in the United States. History. Tribal Colleges and Universities. 718 7th Street NW WW, Floor 2 Washington, DC 20001 202.407.3172 pnpi@pnpi.org. Tribal colleges and universities are a category of higher education, minority-serving institutions in the United States. AI/AN students composed 78 percent of the combined total enrollment of these institutions (2010 Review of Federal Agencies’ Support to Tribal Colleges and Universities). A background primer on Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). 1801 et seq.) This is a list of tribal colleges and universities by country.Note that some universities or colleges historically have served a largely indigenous population without being associated with any tribe; such institutions are not part of this list. The first tribal colleges were established in the late-1960s in the wake of the civil rights and the American Indian self-determination movements to increase access to higher education for young people growing up on reservations. As a result, most of them have small enrollments, often less than 1,000 students. Tribal colleges are located on or near Indian reservations and provide access to post-secondary education, accredited degrees, and vocational training for both Indian and non-Indian students.