Support. I know that one of the problems as an undergrad was finding
effective study groups. I know that no-one in the American Indian community
near me could do what I was studying. My best study partners were the white
students in my classes. I didn't want native people to say to me "Wow! You can
do Math?! I always was interested in that!" I want them to say "Yeah, I'm
in Analysis as well. What a pain! You wanta study the homework?"
Money. Its amazing how much better my grades got when someone got me
enough money so that I wasn't working 25+ hours a week while taking 16 credit
hours of Math and Computer classes.
Expectations. Expect the students to do A work and they are more likely
to do it. Explain and explain and.... explain to students what the
University/College is expecting from them.
Dept Mentor. There were any number of times when my mentor took another
Prof aside for a "discussion" and came back with a more helpful response.
This was usually to get a test rescheduled so as not to conflict with my work.
"If I do it for you I have to do it for everybody." This was the excuse I
heard most often when trying to get an early test. Make Prof's understand
that excuses aren't tolerated. Professor's need to have the understanding that
they should work WITH a student. Not view the student as an inconvenience when
help is needed.
My best Professor's would always take the time to talk with me unless it
was outside of Office hours and they had committed to something else.
Study Space. I created study space where other students hung out. Most
of the successful students however, studied by themselves. We need to create a
safe space where studying is encouraged after hours.
>From: Sophia Cleland <sophia_cleland@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: nn-dialogue@bioc02.uthscsa.edu
>To: general@aises.org, iicbnet@niec.net, dharry@niec.net
>CC: aipoffice-mailbox@POSTOFFICE2.MAIL.CORNELL.EDU, bio-ipr@cuenet.com,
> grain@baylink.mozcom.com, nn-dialogue@bioc02.uthscsa.edu
>Subject: Request for input regarding American Indians in science
>Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 11:10:59 EDT
>
>Hello,
>
>I will be on a panel which will be presenting the problems that American
>Indians have in pursuing science. This panel will be presenting the
>problems that we have to the NIH (National Institute of Health) branch
etc...
<copy of message suppressed - Details can be found in the NativeNet
archives at http://www.nativenet.uthscsa.edu>