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From: UNC CONFERENCE ON RECRUITMENT
Date: 21 Apr 2004
Time: 20:23:58 -0400
Remote Name: 172.156.108.112
CONFERENCE ON RECRUITMENT OF AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENTS The March 19 Conference on Recruitment of American Indian Students convened at UNC-Chapel Hill involved leaders in Indian Education, staff and consultants from the NC State Department of Public Instruction, Title VII Counselors from public school districts and tribal representatives working with American Indian youth. The Conference afforded an opportunity for community and tribal-based American Indian representatives to dialog with UNC-CH faculty, admissions officers, Deans of Admissions and Graduate and Professional Programs and American Indian students enrolled at UNC-Chapel Hill. The purpose of the 2004 Conference, according to Dr. Archie Ervin, Assistant to the Chancellor and Director of the Office for Minority Affairs, was to continue the initiative to increase American Indian presence in higher education by analyzing the issues and identifying tangible ideas to expand the American Indian student pipeline to UNC-Chapel Hill. Small Group Discussions were held to identify concrete factors that inhibit American Indian students from getting into higher education and to identify tangible changes that could be initiated at UNC-CH as well as other institutions of higher education. While the enrollment of American Indian students has increased over the years, the high rate of American Indian who drop out from the public schools will continue to affect the potential for increased enrollment in institutions of higher education. In 2003-2004, there were l9,08l American Indian students enrolled in K-12 in public schools in North Carolina, and 885 are high school seniors. If the drop out rate for American Indian students persists, only 8,000 of these students will graduate from high school. (That is not a correct number because records on drop outs do not reflect 8th grade students who do not return to school in the 9th grade.) In 2003-2004, only 232 American Indian students are enrolled as first time freshmen in state supported institutions of the UNC system. This number represents approximately 25% of the total population of American Indian high school graduates. Problems that Affect Enrollment and Retention I. Cultural Factors · Lack of a significant number of American Indian students graduating from high school to enable institutions to have a critical mass of American Indian students · A need for institutions to establish community advisory committees · Early identification and recruitment and the development of collaborative partnerships for socialization, emotional preparedness and positive interactions with institutions as early as the middle grades · Perceptions of poor student retention · Need for improved communications between institutions and public schools and American Indian communities II. Inhibiting Factors Affecting Enrollment in Higher Education · Need for financial support beyond tuition (hidden fees, pocket money) and for students of working/middle class families, not just need-based · Fear of failure · Reluctance to be a burden on parents, either financially or by leaving home · Lack of understanding on how to build a resume and the need to document activities and involvement · Lack of effective communication skills, although academically prepared, to compete for scholarships and special programs · Lack of sense of community between and among American Indian students on campus · Lack of self-confidence III. Enhance Relationships and Collaboration · Encourage enrolled American Indian students to become community/tribal ambassadors · Admissions officials need to recruit at the community level through meetings, receptions, and alumni gatherings and to communicate with the parents at the community level. · Establish partnerships with tribal offices, churches and local schools by creating mailing lists and scheduling regular and sustained contact · Inform tribal communities and schools of upcoming events in advance for effective planning and scheduling · Target American Indian students for NC Teaching Fellows Program · Increase recruitment and enrollment of American Indians in graduate and professional programs · Develop parent assistance programs and activities · Develop a planned program of culture-based orientation for American Indian students for first semester through student mentoring, cultural activities, and opportunities for student/faculty/upper-class student interaction IV. Enhanced Recruitment and Retention · Attend community-based tribal meetings with enrolled students · Recruitment booths at cultural activities and programs · Require student attendance and participation in first semester in academic support services orientation and activities · Enhance Summer Bridge Programs by developing culture-based activities and support · Collect and analyze American Indian student retention data · Coordinate improved recruitment for graduate and professional programs from undergraduates and graduates of other institutions · Develop internships in American Indian communities for students, American Indian and non-Indian, to promote cultural competency and to engage other schools and departments in increased awareness of American Indian communities V. Recommendations · Develop a more supportive academic, social and culture-based climate · Increase communications at the community/tribal level with parents, schools and churches · Develop summer enrichment programs for middle grade and high school students · Assist public schools in SAT preparation · Involve enrolled American Indian students in recruitment · Establish American Indian Culture Centers/Programs, Activities On equal parity with other diversity initiatives · Provide feedback to the American Indian community on students, graduate and how to prepare and assist American Indian students for success higher education experience · Target college aid for American Indian students in low-income areas · Offer advance placement courses through correspondence and distance learning for American Indian students in low-income areas and low-performing school districts · Develop teacher education internships and graduate internships in public schools with a high incidence of American Indian students · Fully communicate financial aid programs to tribes, churches and public schools