ABSTRACT
This chapter reflects more deeply on the characteristics of successful collaborations and provides a framework that shifts the focus beyond the limitations of a transactional approach to a relational, or reciprocal, approach rooted in tribal knowledge. This framework for collaboration asserts the importance of Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) identity, elevates Indigenous voices and perspectives, and provides guidance to institutions of higher education and other potential partners on how to develop successful collaborations. For collaborations to be successful, it is essential to understand the unique missions and goals of TCUs. For TCUs, Native student success and mission fulfillment go hand in hand. Collaboration takes many forms in higher education, and in this paper, we offer a framework – relationality, respect, responsibility, and reciprocity – that not only guides and facilitates successful TCU collaborations but can also fundamentally shift collaborations from transactional to relational.
