The Tribal College Movement: Ensuring That Native American Students Successfully Complete an Associate Degree and Persist to Earn a Four-Year Degree

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2011 THE TRIBAL COLLEGE MOVEMENT: ENSURING THAT NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE AND PERSIST TO EARN A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE Cheri Lynn Kicking Woman The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Kicking Woman, Cheri Lynn, "THE TRIBAL COLLEGE MOVEMENT: ENSURING THAT NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE AND PERSIST TO EARN A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE" (2011). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 1330. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/1330 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE TRIBAL COLLEGE MOVEMENT: ENSURING THAT NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE AND PERSIST TO EARN A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE By Cheri Lynn Kicking Woman MA in Elementary Education, Antioch University-Seattle, Seattle, Washington, 2003 BA Degree in Physical Education, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, Washington, 2001 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education The University of Montana Missoula, Montana 2011 Approved by: Perry Brown Dean of Graduate School Dr. Frances L. O’Reilly Co-Chair Educational Leadership Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences Dr. David Aronofsky Co-Chair Educational Leadership Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences Dean Roberta Evans Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences Dr. John Matt Educational Leadership Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences Dr. Kathryn Shanley Native American Studies ABSTRACT March 2011 Educational Leadership Kicking Woman, Cheri L., Ed. D The Tribal College Movement: Ensuring that Native American students successfully complete an Associate Degree and Persist to earn a Four-Year Degree Advisor(s): Dr. Frances L. O’Reilly Dr. David Aronofsky This mixed method study examined the utilization of educational resources available to 44 Native American students. One-half initially attended a tribal college, and one-half Native American students who initially attended a non-tribal college. The qualitative process involved face-to-face interviews with the participants at the seven Montana tribal colleges. The resources included: mentoring programs, library services, financial aid assistance, distance learning programs, disability services, scholarships’ applications process assistance, assistance in use of computers and the skills needed, tutors, student organizations, and academic counselors. The data from the first phase of the study were illustrated by the use of tables and descriptive narrative. The data were transcribed and subjected to data analyses as recommended by Strauss and Corbin (1990), Tesch (1990), and Creswell (1994). A grounded theory approach to produce a core category from the data yielded the following subcategories: (a) Barriers, (b) Success, (c) Challenges, (d) Clubs, (e) Family support, (f) Family member with college experience, and (g) Military experience. Further qualitative analyses of the data resulted in the following core category: “Native American Students Persisting in Higher Education.” The second phase of the study involved a satisfaction survey of the educational resources utilized by each individual. The data from the satisfaction survey were ordinal data and the frequencies for the College’s Services Satisfaction Survey were compiled. Tribal Colleges and Universities supported the students in acquiring financial aid and scholarships. All college experiences must include space and time for the re-creation of “family” in order for Native American students to persist and earn a baccalaureate year degree. ii Dedicated by Dr. Cheri Kicking Woman (Old Time Medicine Pipe Woman – Aa Kai Tsa Ahm Aoh Koi Yin Nii Ma Kii) to the following: To my beautiful, funny, and courageous mother Eula Kay Kicking Woman who always instilled in me the importance of education and always pushing me to exceed in anything I did. Thank you, my dear mother for demonstrating the courage, wisdom, and charisma you had as a single mother and laying the foundation for me in earning your four year degree. Now, we are both alumni from the University of Montana!! To my grandparents George and Mollie Kicking Woman who were holders of our family’s thunder pipe bundle for over sixty years. The both of you raised me with strong morals and values and with an exceptional, rich cultural upbringing. Thank you for my childhood memories and molding me to who I am today. To my brother Leland Kicking Woman who I always wanted to be like; you had a gentle spirit and had a huge, long lasting impact on all the people you met. You were always my hero!! Thank you for being so inspirational to my success. To my loving and supporting aunts: Susan Heavy Runner, Doris Kicking Woman, Delores Iron Shirt, and Diane Dorris. All of you were there whenever I needed you and we always could share a good laugh. Thank you for being my mother’s sisters and my auntie’s!! To my proud and awesome Kicking Woman family and friends; thanks for all of your support and always reminding me that no one and no obstacle is too big to discourage this strong Indian woman. Love you guys and thanks!!! To my University of Montana dissertation committee and faculty members: Bobbie Evans, John Matt, and Kathryn Shanley for being committed to my time line and assisting me in finishing my dissertation. Thank you. To my dissertation advisor: David Aronofsky who always challenged me to challenge myself and expressing your unique point of view. You were always right; thanks!! Finally, to my rock, Frances O’Reilly; you spent endless hours assisting me and sharing this journey with me. Your commitment level to this project will always be appreciated and this memorable and life changing journey will never be forgotten. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Abstract ii CHAPTER ONE: STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1 Introduction 1 Tribal College Enrollment 2 Tribal College Graduates 3 Tribal College Retention and Graduation Rates 5 College Continuation Rates for High School Students 6 Degree Seeking Students 10 Remedial and Development Courses 10 Montana Trends 11 Culture and Degree Completion 13 Statement of the Problem 20 Positive Outcomes for Native American People 22 Negative Outcomes for Native American People 23 The Importance of Education to Native Americans 24 Research Question 26 Purpose of the Research 26 Importance of the Research 26 Limitations 27 Delimitations 28 Definitions 28 iv Summary 29 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 31 Introduction 31 Tribal Colleges 33 Montana Tribal Colleges 38 Blackfeet Community College 38 Chief Dull Knife College 39 Fort Belknap College 39 Fort Peck Community College 40 Little Big Horn College 40 Salish Kootenai College 41 Stone Child College 42 Naming Tribal Colleges 42 Evolving Mission at Tribal Colleges 43 Minority Serving Institutions 45 College and University 47 Community Colleges 49 Transferring to Four-Year College 54 Native American Representation in Higher Education 56 Tribal College Success 59 College Persistence 61 Tinto’s Model 65 First-Generation Students 67 v Incoming freshman 73 Personal Struggles 76 Family 76 Poverty 81 Unemployment and Income 82 Health Issues 84 Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Use 84 HIV/AIDS 87 Domestic Violence 87 Type-Two Diabetes 87 Suicide 88 Native American Incarceration Rates 89 Research Related to Higher Education Institutional Efficacy 91 Non-Native American Schools of Higher Education 91 Native American Schools of Higher Education 94 Research Related to Higher Education Student Efficacy 98 Non-Native American Students 98 Native American Students 100 Learning Styles 100 Financial Challenges 104 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 110 Introduction 110 Research Design 111 vi Satisfaction Survey 111 Satisfaction Survey Question Rationale 112 Interview Survey 112 Interview Question Rationale 112 Sample 115 Research Questions 116 Qualitative 116 Quantitative 116 Data Collection 117 Procedures 117 Quantitative Instrumentation for Satisfaction Survey 117 Quantitative Analysis for Satisfaction Survey 118 Null Hypothesis 118 A Priori 119 Qualitative: Instrumentation for Interview Protocol and Analysis 119 Coding Procedures 119 Verification of Grounded Theory 120 Permissions 121 Role of the Researcher 122 Summary 123 Table 1 Education Trends and Statistics Education Trends and Statistics In Native Americans and Alaska Natives 123 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS 125 vii Introduction 125 Phase One: Qualitative 126 Interview 127 Coding Procedures 127 Open Coding 127 Axial Coding 128 Selective Coding 128 Interpretation of the Interview Data 129 Tribal College Start Participants’ Open Coding 129 Table 2: Open Coding Process 130 Table 3: Barriers and Dimensional Range 131 Table 4: Success and Dimensional Range 132 Table 5: Challenges and Dimensional Range 133 Table 6: Club Participation and Dimensional Range 134 Table 7: Family Support and Dimensional Range 135 Table 8: College in Family and Dimensional Range 136 Table 9: Military in

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