American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students continue to besignificantly underrepresented in institutions of higher educationand continue to face barriers that impeded their academic success.This volume explores the factors that influence college going inIndigenous communities and,upon enrollment in institutions ofhigher education, the factors that influence college completion.Chapters cover:* The legacy of Western education in Indigemous communities* The experiences of Indigenous students in the K-12 system* Transition from student to faculty of AI/AN graduates* Recommendations that can improve the success of Indigenousstudents and facultyThis is the fifth issue the 37th volume of the Jossey-Bass seriesASHE Higher Education Report. Each monograph in the seriesis the definitive analysis of a tough higher education problem,based on thorough research of pertinent literature andinstitutional experiences. Topics are identified by a nationalsurvey. Noted practitioners and scholars are then commissioned towrite the reports, with experts providing critical reviews of eachmanuscript before publication.

Executive Summary viiForeword xiAcknowledgments xvIntroduction 1Situating American Indian and Alaska Native Higher Education inLarger Contexts 3Historical Background of American Indian and Alaska NativeHigher Education 6Overview of the Monograph 9Framing the Conversation 11Tribal Nation Building 12Higher Education Toward Nation Building 27Conclusion 29Postsecondary Access for Indigenous Students 31Postsecondary Aspirations, High School Completion, and AcademicPreparation 32Accelerated Learning Opportunities 36College Entrance Examinations 39Economic Conditions and Paying for College 40The Role of Schools and College Counseling 43Protective Factors and Promising Practices for PostsecondaryAccess 47Concluding Thoughts 52American Indian and Alaska Native College Students 53Enrollment Patterns 53Retention Patterns 56The Experiences of Indigenous College Students in PredominantlyWhite Institutions 58Tribal Colleges and Universities 68Conclusion 71American Indian and Alaska Native Graduate Students73A Statistical Portrait of Indigenous Graduate and ProfessionalStudents 74The Experiences of Indigenous Graduate and Professional Students77Graduate Education and Nation Building 88American Indian and Alaska Native Faculty 91Transforming the Academy as Activists and Advocates 93Indigenous Faculty and Nation Building 94Native Faculty at Mainstream Institutions 95Indigenous Faculty in Tribal Colleges and Universities 101Concluding Thoughts 105Where Do We Go From Here? 107Research Recommendations 108Discussion and Implications for Policy 111Discussion and Implications for Institutional Practice 116Notes 119References 121Name Index 141Subject Index 147About the Authors 153