Due to the lateness of introducing this amendment, complete legislative rationale has not been developed and delivered at this time. However, the concern and urgency of initiating legislation on behalf of Indian community colleges, as a most important vehicle through which the attainment of Indian self-determination can be realized, is highly recommended. In closing, it has been an honor to appear before you today. On behalf of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sinte Gleska Community College and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, I would like to extend our deepest appreciation for your continued interest in Indian activities and for your support of our institutions and other Indian-controlled institutions in their pursuit to validate the concept of Indian self-determination. RESOLUTION No. RB 74-56 Whereas, The authority as stated in the Snyder Act of 1921 and the JohnsonO'Malley Act of 1934, as amended in 1936, mandates the United States Government to provide educational services to American Indians; and Whereas, The President of the United States has stated it is the official policy of the government to promote and foster Indian self-determination in all areas of endeavor; and Whereas, The Congress of the United States has recognized the need for Indian people to be responsible for their own educational institutions by enactment of the Indian Education Act of 1972; and Whereas, If these policies are to be effectively implemented, Indian control of their own educational institutions is an absolute necessity; and Whereas, The education of Indian People has for too long been in the hands of non-Indians; and Whereas, On January 23, 1971 the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council officially chartered and established an institute of higher learning on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation; and Whereas, This institution, Sinte Gleska College Center, is governed by Indian persons who live in and are aware of the needs of their communities and are committed to the preservation and development of Indianness; and Whereas, Legislation needs to be developed to assist Indian communities in the development of their own destiny in post-secondary education in Indian communities and reservations; therefore, be it Resolved, That Title II of Senate Bill 1017 should be revised and amended to include specific legislation in behalf of the development, operation and support of Indian controlled community colleges such as Sinte Gleska College located on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation; be it Resolved further, That this amendment should read as follows, "The Secretary of the Inetrior is authorized and directed upon the request of any tribe or tribal organization to provide funds to any such tribe or tribal organization to assist in the development, operation and maintenance of comprehensive community colleges to provide post-secondary education in Indian communities and to insure that the education provided by such college is suited to the needs, interests and potential benefits of such communities; and, be it Resolved further, That the following formula method be included, "That there are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of the above mentioned an annual sum for the development, operation and maintenance of such colleges that does not exceed the average amount of the present cash contributions made by the federal government for the education of American Indian students at the federally operated institutions of the same type. CERTIFICATION This is to certify that the above Resolution No. RB 74-56 was duly passed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council in session, March 25, 1974, by a vote of 26 in favor, none opposed and 1 excused. The said resolution was adopted pursuant to authority vested in the Council by provisions of paragraph (t) of Section 1 of Article IV of the Constitution. A quorum was present. ROBERT BURNETTE, President, Rosebud Sioux Tribe. NORMAN L. KNOX, Secretary, Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Attest: 37-778-74 -10 RESOLUTION No. 429-74 Whereas, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is an unincorporated Tribe of Indians having accepted the Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934, and the recognized governing body of the Tribe is known as the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council, and Whereas, Indian Education has historically been in the hands of non-Indians with largely disastrous and inadequate results, and Whereas, there is a recognized need for Indian control of those institutions concerning Indian welfare, as indicated by the Presidential policy of Indian selfdetermination and, specifically, responsibility for their own educational institutions as designated by the Indian Education Act of 1972, and Whereas, there are presently institutions such as the Standing Rock Community College, and the other members of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, which have undertaken community control of post-secondary higher education for the tribes they represent and under whom they are chartered, and Whereas, these community controlled colleges are undertaking a challenge which other institutions have generally failed to meet, and are attempting to answer such community needs with funds and manpower greatly insufficient to the magnitude of the task, and Whereas, special legislation is imperative to the further growth and enrichment of these unique institutions. Now therefore be it resolved, that Title III of Senate Bill 1017 should be revised and amended to include specific legislation in behalf of the development, operation, and support of Indian controlled Community Colleges such as those united under the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. Be it further resolved, that this amendment should read as follows: Part A, "The Secretary of Interior is authorized and directed upon the request of any Indian Tribe or Tribal Organization to assist in the development, operation, and maintenance of comprehensive Indian-controlled Community Colleges to provide post-secondary education in Indian communities, and to insure that the education provided by such college is suited to the needs, interests, and potential benefits of such communities." Be it further resolved, that the following method be included, that Part B, "there are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of Part (a) an annual sum for the development, operation, and maintenance of such colleges that does not exceed the average amount of the present cash contributions made by the Federal Government for the education of American Indian students at the Federally-operated institutions of the same type. Be it further resolved, that the Chairman and Secretary of the Tribal Council be authorized and instructed to sign this resolution for and on behalf of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. CERTIFICATION We, the undersigned, Chairman and Secretary of the Tribal Council of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, hereby certify that the Tribal Council is composed of 15 members, of whom 13, constituting a quorum, were present at a meeting thereof, duly and regularly called, noticed, convened, and held on the 26th day of April, 1974, that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted by the affirmative vote of 9 members, with 0 opposing, and with 4 not voting. The Chairman's vote is not required except in case of a tie. Dated this 26th day of April, 1974. Attest: PAT MCLAUGHLIN, (For Melvin White Eagle, Chairman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council). ALVINA GREYBEAR, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council. UNITED SIOUX TRIBES OF SOUTH DAKOTA, Hon. Congressman LLOYD MEEDS, DEAR CONGRESSMAN MEEDS: It has come to our attention that the American Indian Higher Education Consortium is submitting an amendment to Senate Bill 1017. The specific legislation that they are requesting addresses itself to the request of financial support of Indian-controlled community colleges or college centers located on Indian reservations. Presently, in South Dakota, we have two (2) such college centers who are members of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and who are partially funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. These post-secondary institutions are Sinte Gleska College and Lakota Higher Education Center, located on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Indian Reservation respectively. These institutions have been funded in the amount of $200,000 a piece for the past three years, but have been informed that funding will cease after the fiscal year 1975 due to non-existant legislation mandating the U.S. Government to be fiscally responsible for these institutions. By a unanimous action of the United Sioux Tribal Chairmen at a duly called meeting on April 27, 1974, I have been requested to submit this letter supporting the requested legislative amendment on behalf of our own Indian-controlled community colleges. We feel this type of education endeavor on the part of Indian tribes and communities attempting to establish and secure their own educational self-determination is what President Richard Nixon was addressing in his Indian Self-Determination speech of July 8, 1970. We urge your strongest support on this matter. Any need for further support or discussion can be addressed to this organization. We appreciate your assistance in this most important matter. CLARENCE W. SKYE, Executive Director. NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON INDIAN EDUCATION, Mr. LIONEL R. BORDEAUX, To Whom It May Concern: Washington, D.C. May 1, 1974. The National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE) has gone on record many times in favor of promoting and fostering Indian self-determination in all areas of endeavor and in particular, Indian Education. The Congress of the United States has recognized the need for Indian people to be responsible for their own educational institutions by enactment of the Indian Education Act of 1972. The National Advisory Council on Indian Education has consistently supported such individual efforts as Sinte Gleska College Center, Rosebud, South Dakota. However; they do not do this to favor one Indian college, community or reservation over another. I, Dwight A. Billedeaux, Executive Director of NACIE have taken my opinion from the official action of NACIE's committee and full council meetings, also from the first annual report to Congress of the United States, to endorse on behalf of NACIE, the Resolution of RB-74-56 and the concept of Rosebud's Sinte Gleska Community College Center. Sincerely, DWIGHT A. BILLEDEAUX, Executive Director. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, To Whom It May Concern: Sinte Gleska Community College meets a real need for Indian people. It is indeed a pleasure to see Indian leadership providing services for Indian people. I only hope that the public and private system of higher education will lend an assist to this very important venture for Indian people. I intend to do whatever I can to assist in the future growth and development of the community college system for Indian people. Sincerely, DON BARNHART, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Hon. LLOYD MEEDS, U.S. House of Representatives, DEAR MR. MEEDS: I am pleased to lend my support to S.B. 1017 currently pending before your Subcommittee on Indian Affairs. We have watched with interest the development of such educational programs as the Sinte Gleska College at Rosebud, South Dakota. Where possible the State of South Dakota has cooperated with the development of the program and we are convinced that these higher education programs will be a significant factor in helping Indian people to do a better job in managing their own affairs and their own future. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is to be congratulated for its support of the establishment of such programs as Sinte Gleska. However, I believe the continuation of Indian controlled higher education on a sound footing depends on specific Congressional authorization and funding of such programs. This would permit the development of the colleges through the use of long range planning which is not always possible without a firm authorization and funding source. Sincerely, Mr. MEEDS. Please proceed. RICHARD F. KNEIP, Governor. STATEMENT OF LIONEL R. BORDEAUX, PRESIDENT OF THE SINTE GLESKA COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND AMERICAN INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION CORSORTIUM IN ROSEBUD, S. DAK. Mr. BORDEAUX. Mr. Chairman, distinguished committee members, ladies and gentlemen, I am here on behalf of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, and I appreciate the time that you have given us here to speak on behalf of the association and primarily we would like to address ourselves to, I think something here that S. 1017 has not addressed itself to and these are community colleges. About 4 or 5 years ago in three or four communities people sat down at ad hoc committees and started taking a look at the high dropout rate of Indian students throughout the Nation. Policies, higher education, we felt that this was not relevant to Indian students and we saw in the freshman year, a dropout rate of something like three-fourths of the Indian students, that is 1 out of every 100 that were going on to a graduate degree, and so we started talking of the idea of the possibility of Indian control of community colleges and now today the American Indian Higher Educational Association has formed with membership of six Indian colleges. These colleges are all located on Indian reservations. They are tribally charted organizations and they are operated or governed entirely by Indian people and their faculty staffs are comprised practically with Indian educators, Indian staff members and I guess our primary purpose here is to offer an alternate type of system of education for those particular groups of Indian people who never will venture off the reservation where a University of South Dakota or a Harvard is to far or only for the brilliant or for the rich and we felt that there is a need right at home for all educational levels to give a first chance to Indian students who, particularly in the age of 20 to 35 have young families or just not enough money. These students can go off the reservation to go to school and probably the majority of you are familiar with Sinte Gleska Community College which has its own legislation. The crisis we are up against right now is that we were told this past spring that the BIA would fund no more Indian control community colleges unless they have their own legislation. It was only through some people in the Interior Department that we got reinstated for fiscal year 1975 and now we are being told that at the end of fiscal year 1975 this community college at Pine Ridge and the other one, which are the two right now that are being funded, to the tune of $200,000 a year Mr. MEEDS. Is that total? Mr. BORDEAUX. Yes. Mr. MEEDS. For your school, for each school? Mr. BORDEAUX. All we are receiving is $200,000 now. Mr. MEEDS. From BIA? Mr. BORDEAUX. For an educational grant. We do have some other contracts like education for $27,500, extension, $40,000 and in the past 2 years we have operated what they call an Indian-action team. Mr. MEEDS. That is what? Mr. BORDEAUX. An Indian-action team. Mr. MEEDS. Do you want to tell me about that a little bit? Mr. BORDEAUX. This here is primarily, the eligibility is the same as the 959 program, Public Law 959, which has a 2-year eligibility and so we have now, we are now into our 21st month of operation and that money will run out as of next year or as of September. But primarily what this money here does is it allows, it provides for training for carpentry, heavy equipment, various trades, this type of thing and right now we have 48 who are in on this training program. Mr. MEEDS. Kind of an MDTA program? Mr. BORDEAUX. Yes, almost identical to that. But I guess the summary is, you know, that we need legislation, specifically on our behalf so that we can sit down and actually start running the college the way it is supposed to be run, start developing long-range planning, start bringing in consultants ourselves, to bring in master plans, and sit down and try to develop phase 1, phase 2, and phase 3. But we have to scrape every year for $200,000 and try to get foundations here to supplement our budget, so it just does not allow us the time to be able to develop an institution of higher education the way it should be, as meaningful as I know these schools can be because they are so flexible and there are many things that they can do in the area, not only the provision of academic courses in the AA area-we |