American Indians and Education
URM has become a valued asset for higher education, but what does it mean? The acronym stands for underrepresented minority, which seems quite redundant. By status of being one of these minorities a certain level of affirmative action is enacted. While the topic of affirmative action raises a whole other aspect of discussion, the question du jour is whether American Indians benefit from this status.
Higher education has historically been composed of white males, but in recent years there has been a surge of multiple genders and races, yet as progressive as several institutions are, the composition of the class still tends to lack American Indians. In 2008, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that American Indian enrollment doubled in the past 30 years. Despite the increase, American Indians still only account for 1.1 percent of students in universities. American Indians have the lowest percentage of college educated students per minority group with only 18% enrolled in college. Meanwhile, the statistics are not available on how many American Indians apply to higher education that get accepted and receive substantial scholarships.
Income and isolation are both significant factors with the average per capita income on a reservation a mere $8,000 (the national household income is $52,029 based on a household of 2.59). Meanwhile, reservations are isolated from educational institutions further crippling education and, in effect, economic opportunity. American Indians often do not even have the opportunity to apply due to the poverty, lack of access to education, and lack of perceivable opportunity.
The Department of Education shows that in 2006-2007 American Indians accounted for less than 1% of degree distribution for all higher education. The Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) partially help address the disparities and barriers by providing education in a more feasible manner. Nonetheless, are these colleges a system of separate but equal treatment even if they have good intentions? While top universities make an effort to recruit other minorities and include them in their class to represent perspectives, the lack of American Indians is pervasive. The deficiency of American Indians at universities not only harms this particular population, but it also harms the student body who are not exposed to the different perspectives. Part of the tragedy is that American Indians in the United States will always be isolated if the best and brightest Americans are never exposed to understanding their culture and barriers as peer students and if American Indians are not afforded the same opportunities as peer students.
Further part of the problem is that what happens to American Indians is perceived as having no affect on the rest of the world, let alone the rest of the United States. Students, universities, corporations, and others are more concerned with the plight of animals than they are American Indians. This is in part because they have been exposed to animal plight by popular means of PETA and other advocacy groups. For example, Federal Indian Law courses are scarce while Animal Law course are prevalent.
The lack of representation and prioritization of other interests would not be acceptable for any other group. We are all disadvantaged by not sharing the American Indian experience. Unfortunately, the majority of student bodies and employers do not even know what they are missing.
Higher education has historically been composed of white males, but in recent years there has been a surge of multiple genders and races, yet as progressive as several institutions are, the composition of the class still tends to lack American Indians. In 2008, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that American Indian enrollment doubled in the past 30 years. Despite the increase, American Indians still only account for 1.1 percent of students in universities. American Indians have the lowest percentage of college educated students per minority group with only 18% enrolled in college. Meanwhile, the statistics are not available on how many American Indians apply to higher education that get accepted and receive substantial scholarships.
Income and isolation are both significant factors with the average per capita income on a reservation a mere $8,000 (the national household income is $52,029 based on a household of 2.59). Meanwhile, reservations are isolated from educational institutions further crippling education and, in effect, economic opportunity. American Indians often do not even have the opportunity to apply due to the poverty, lack of access to education, and lack of perceivable opportunity.
The Department of Education shows that in 2006-2007 American Indians accounted for less than 1% of degree distribution for all higher education. The Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) partially help address the disparities and barriers by providing education in a more feasible manner. Nonetheless, are these colleges a system of separate but equal treatment even if they have good intentions? While top universities make an effort to recruit other minorities and include them in their class to represent perspectives, the lack of American Indians is pervasive. The deficiency of American Indians at universities not only harms this particular population, but it also harms the student body who are not exposed to the different perspectives. Part of the tragedy is that American Indians in the United States will always be isolated if the best and brightest Americans are never exposed to understanding their culture and barriers as peer students and if American Indians are not afforded the same opportunities as peer students.
Further part of the problem is that what happens to American Indians is perceived as having no affect on the rest of the world, let alone the rest of the United States. Students, universities, corporations, and others are more concerned with the plight of animals than they are American Indians. This is in part because they have been exposed to animal plight by popular means of PETA and other advocacy groups. For example, Federal Indian Law courses are scarce while Animal Law course are prevalent.
The lack of representation and prioritization of other interests would not be acceptable for any other group. We are all disadvantaged by not sharing the American Indian experience. Unfortunately, the majority of student bodies and employers do not even know what they are missing.
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