AIHEC
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) is a
partnership of 31 tribal colleges throughout the United States and
canada. The consortium has the following purposes:
* To promote, foster, encourage, and implement programs for the
improvement of Native, and/or tribally controlled postsecondary
and higher education for American Indian, Eskimo, and Alaskan
Natives.
* To promote methods for training of administrative, teaching, and
staff positions for postsecondary institutions to establish
information centers, to facilitate and encourage the seeking of
funds for implementing AIHEC programs from government and private
sources.
* To initiate and carry through, either singly or in cooperation
with others, programs under Federal or State laws that have as
their goal the development. training and education of persons who
are dedicated to the purposes of AIHEC.
* To promote and encourage the development of language, culture and
traditions of the American Indian, Eskimo and Alskan Natives.
* To plan, develop and implement programs that are consistent with
the inherent rights of tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
HISTORY OF AIHEC
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium was founded October,
1972 by six tribally controlled community colleges with a view toward
mobilizing a concerted effort for the developmental problems common to
them all. Today, AIHEC is a cooperatively sponsored effort on the part
of 31 member institutions to provide a direct mechanism for
facilitating access to resources needed for their continual
development.
Located on or near Indian reservations across Canada and the United
States, the tribal colleges serve over 16,000 Indian students with
vocational, technical, two-year, four-year and, now, graduate
programs.
THE 14TH ANUAL CONFERENCE
Honoring the Passage of Cultural Knowledge and Tradition
AIHEC is determined to ensure a bright, compelling future for American
Indian, Eskimo, and Alaskan peoples through higher education. To this
end, the 14th Annual Conference will focus on students. Students and
faculty from AIHEC schools will attend and participate in academic,
cultural and leadership development activities. There will also be
students and faculty from postsecondary institutions who are not
members of AIHEC but who are concerned with postsecondary education
and native peoples.
The 14th Annual Conference will be a major event that will enhance the
academic and personal development of all participants through the
sharing of a collective experience. Thus, the conference will increase
the capacity of American Indian peoples to determine their future
through the strong and living cultural traditions that contribute a
unique educational and cultural perspective to our nation and to the
world.