ABSTRACT
The tribal college and university (TCU) movement’s institutions are unique in terms of governance, organization, and finance when compared to other institutions of higher education throughout the United States. The colleges are individually chartered through the authority of tribal governments, which have much the same jurisdictional authority as state governments and relate to the federal government on a government-to-government basis. Tribal colleges are relatively new institutions, with the oldest, Diné Community College, being 32 years old. For the most part, they are relatively small institutions. From the beginning, tribal colleges have followed the example of American Indian tribes, banding together to gain strength and recognition. This banding together of the TCUs led to the formation of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) in 1973, which in turn led to the development 15 years later of the American Indian College Fund (AICF).
