The Collective Spirit and Unifying Voice of our Nation's Tribal Colleges and Universities | | |
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Fully-funded Overseas Faculty Development Seminars from CAORC | |
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Applications are currently being accepted for fully-funded professional development seminars in Senegal, India, and beyond.
The Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) is inviting applications for the 2024 Overseas Faculty Development Seminars. These fully-funded seminars are aimed at US community college and Minority-Serving Institution faculty and administrators, including TCUs. The goal is to enhance participants' international experience and improve curricula at their home institutions.
Selected participants will join a short-term academic program that covers travel, accommodations, meals, and site visits. The 2024 series includes winter seminars in Senegal and India, as well as summer seminars in Cambodia, Mexico, Mongolia, and Palestine. An informative webinar with Program Manager Jeff Badger is set for August 28th. The webinar will discuss program objectives, structure, application tips, and include an open Q&A. For more information and application links, visit CAORC's website.
CAORC is a non-profit federation comprising independent overseas research centers (ORCs). It focuses on advancing research, particularly in humanities and social sciences, emphasizing cultural heritage preservation, modern society understanding, and interpretation. Alongside the OFDS program, CAORC and its member ORCs facilitate international scholarly exchange through diverse fellowships and research opportunities. Learn more at caorc.org.
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U.S. Department of Education: Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan Update | |
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This week the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that it has launched its updated income-driven repayment application tool on StudentAid.gov and that student loan borrowers can now officially enroll in the Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) plan.
The SAVE plan will:
· Protect more of a borrower’s income for basic needs
· Ensure that borrowers never see their balance grow due to unpaid interest as long as they keep up with their required payments.
· Halve the share of income that goes to payments on undergraduate loans
Enrolling in this plan takes 10 minutes and the ED encourages borrowers to apply as soon as possible to
have their new monthly payment amount reflected in their billing statement for payments in October.
You can read more in the Department of Education’s press release and the White House fact sheet for more information.
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EVENTS & WEBINARS TO CHECK OUT | | |
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Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education | |
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The Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education program supports the exploration and development of small projects that would benefit underserved populations through the teaching and study of the humanities at small and medium-sized colleges and universities. NEH invites applications from two- and four-year institutions of higher education, as well as from nonprofit organizations and state, local, or Native American Tribal governments aiming to advance the humanities at these institutions.
Application available: August 2, 2023
Optional draft due: September 6, 2023
Deadline: October 18, 2023
Expected notification date: April 30, 2024
Project start date: June 1, 2024 September 1, 2024
Learn more!
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Southwest Tribal Climate Action Summit: Combining Indigenous Knowledge with Scientific Tools to Address Water Quality and Woodland Landscape Challenges | |
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For more information and registration:
https://sites.google.com/nau.edu/sw-tribal-climate-action
❖ A hands-on workshop for tribes addressing climate change across the Southwest!
❖ Learn practical methods for assessing water quality, soil quality, and plant propagation.
❖ Collaborate with expert grant writers to draft action plans and proposals tailored to your tribal organization's goals.
❖ Join other environmental professionals to exchange ideas and experiences.
HOST/FUNDING: The summit is hosted by Navajo Technical University with funding from the BIA. Funding covers participant registration, food and housing during the summit.
DATES: September 10-15, 2023
LOCATION: Thunderbird Lodge in Canyon de Chelly and Navajo Technical University’s Chinle Campus
Both venues are in Chinle, AZ, Diné (Navajo) Nation
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Indigenizing Health Care Career Pathways Across Generations: A Closer Look at Instruction and Practices in American Indian and Alaska Native Education | |
Date: August 29, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET
Webinar
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Featured Speakers
· Beverly Warne, Founder, Native American Nursing Education Center, South Dakota State University
· Meggan Judge, Nursing Student, Alaska Pacific University (APU)
· JoLean Fultz, former Nursing Student, APU
· Darold H. Joseph, Assistant Professor of Special Education, Northern Arizona University (NAU)
· Lisa Lomavaya, Indian Health Services Public Relations/Coordinator for the Indigenous Pride Health Worker Program, Hopi Healthcare Center
· Amanda Hunter, Native Spirit Program, Center for Health Equity Research, NAU
· Kawehi Brandow, Workforce Development Specialist, Division of Indian and Native American Programs, Department of Labor
To watch previous dialogues, please visit the links below:
· Mental Health within Native Communities (November 1, 2022)
· Helping Native Youth Succeed (March 15, 2023)
· Advancing Financial Mobility within Native Communities (May 3, 2023)
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The Department of Education:
Tribal Consultation
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The Emergency Medicine Rural and Indigenous Communities (emRIC) Conference | |
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The conference is free 2 day gathering September 27-28, 2023 in Rapid City, SD (both in-person and virtual options for joining are available) to empower our communities to not only provide excellent emergency medical care, but to do so in a manner that honors and respects the historical and cultural context of the communities they serve. This year, the Great Plains emRIC 2023 gathering hopes to bring together community leaders, nurses, administrators, medics, physicians, pharmacists, pre-health students, and all who are interested, to share our stories, culture, history, language, smiles and good humor, learn from one another and to discuss opportunities rural Emergency Departments have to better serve rural and Indigenous communities – with follow-up virtual ECHO clinics to continue learning, knowledge sharing and support. CE will be provided.
To learn more and register, please visit: https://www.em-ric.org/registration-rapidcity
We look forward to collaborating with each of you and your care teams to improve emergency care for Indigenous and rural communities through education, advocacy, and collaboration. If you have any questions or comments, please contact [email protected].
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Navajo Technical University Holds Annual Trail Ride | |
Healing from historical trauma, and historical trauma response, can take many forms. But perhaps one of the most powerful and effective strategies being employed at tribal colleges is connecting people to their Indigenous language. | |
Fort Peck Community College will work to promote the study, practice and recognition of Indigenous food and agriculture knowledge at TCUs and create platforms that celebrate community-led, culturally appropriate ways of sharing that knowledge. | |
Justice and Education Departments Release Resources to Advance Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education | |
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The U.S. Justice and Education Departments released resources to help colleges and universities understand the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Students for Fair Admission cases (collectively “SFFA”). These resources will help colleges and universities as they work to lawfully pursue efforts to achieve a student body that is diverse across a range of factors, including race and ethnicity. You can read more in the Department of Education’s press release.
The Departments released the Dear Colleague Letter and Questions & Answers Resource to help and offer examples for targeted outreach, recruitment, and pathway programs; evaluation of admission policies; and retention strategies and programs.
For more information on the work the Biden-Harris Administration is doing for students to thrive can be found here.
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In Memoriam: Dr. Verna Fowler
July 1, 1942, to August 12, 2023
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"Start with a plan... take one step at a time and move forward..."
The Tribal College and Universities family has lost a great leader in the Tribal College Movement.
The founding president of the College of the Menominee Nation, Dr. Verna Fowler took CMN from a 42-student, struggling, non-accredited school that held classes in rented rooms to a fully accredited, baccalaureate-granting college with two campuses in Keshena and Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Prayers and condolences to her family, friends, CMN, and the Menominee Nation.
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Federal Communications Commission Tribal Libraries Update and New Low Power FM Filing Window | |
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Tribal Libraries Update
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held an open meeting last month to adopt an order that provides Tribal communities and other E-Rate participants with greater access to the E-Rate program to provide high-speed internet to schools and libraries. The FCC will also be extending an additional funding year, the Tribal Libraries Pilot Program, to provide one-on-one support for libraries seeking E-Rate support for equipment and services. For more information about the adopted order, please visit the Federal Communications Commission.
New Low Power FM Filing Window
The FCC released a Public Notice for an application filing window for the new Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations. This filing window will provide Tribes, among others, the opportunity to apply for a new LPFM station that can cover a localized service area in need of a radio station. Potential applicants should carefully read the Public Notice, which provides an overview of application procedures, filing requirements, and comparative selection process that will apply to the upcoming filing window for LPFM new station construction permits. The filing window will be open at 12:01 am ET on November 1, 2023, and closes at 6:00 pm ET on November 8, 2023. Applications should be submitted through the FCC’s Media Bureau’s Licensing and Management System.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture
Funding Opportunity Announcement
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a new funding opportunity that Tribal College and Universities are eligible for. The purpose of the Food and Nutrition Service funding opportunity is to develop, design, and implement fresh produce safety and handling training for program operators and staff of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
The handling training will be a one-week experiential learning program that immerses child nutrition professionals in the fresh produce supply chain, arming graduates with skills to address real-life scenarios and critically analyze and respond to food safety issues.
For more information about the funding opportunity, please visit Grants.gov.
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Department of Education Announces New Grant Opportunities for Tribal Colleges and Universities | |
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The Department of Education announced this week that it is launching two grant opportunities that will provide nearly $100 million to expand research infrastructure and increase completion and retention rates in Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).
The Research and Development Infrastructure Grant Program (RDI) will provide $50 Million to implement transformational research infrastructure. For TCUs, the funds will support an increase in research activities, undergraduate research opportunities, faculty development, and more. Applications for this program are due Monday, October 2, 2023.
The Postsecondary Student Success Grant (PSSG) Program will provide $45 million to fund evidence-based strategies that result in improved student outcomes for underserved students. Applications for this program are due Monday, September 25, 2023.
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New Funding Opportunity: ADVANCE Predoctoral T32 Training Program to Promote Prevention Workforce Diversity
Help diversify the prevention workforce with a predoctoral research training program!
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) and participating Institutes, Centers, and Offices are inviting applications to develop ADVANCE T32 programs to train predoctoral scholars from diverse backgrounds in all three of the following areas:
· Health disparities/health equity research
· Development and implementation of multi-level preventive interventions
· Methods for the design and analysis of studies to evaluate multi-level preventive interventions
The funding opportunity (RFA-OD-23-018) encourages institutions to diversify the trainee applicant pool by recruiting potential candidates from diverse backgrounds, including groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences.
Applications are due October 31, 2023.
This funding opportunity was developed by the ODP-coordinated
Advancing Prevention Research for Health Equity (ADVANCE) initiative, an NIH-wide effort to develop and evaluate preventive interventions that address health disparities.
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Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Program | |
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Important Information for TCUs on Dept. of Labor “Strengthening Community College Training Grants!”: For the latest information about Dept. of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants, click here. This opportunity is specifically for 2-year colleges to develop and implement job training programs (including short term certificate programs) in “in-demand” industries, with a focus on ensure equitable participation in the labor force by individuals from underserved communities, including Tribal communities.
In addition to the Strengthening Community College Training program website, you can go directly to the forecast for FOA-ETA-23-15, the fourth round (SCC4) on grants.gov. We anticipate that the FOA will be issued in August, and proposals will be due 90 days later. The purpose of the forecast is to let potential applicants know about the grant opportunity so they can begin planning and collaborating with prospective partners. Interested parties may also find information about current SCC grants useful.
In the last round, DoL awarded 15 multi-year grants of $1.5-5.75 million. As mentioned above, the goal is to increase community colleges' capacity and responsiveness to meet employers' skill development needs and equitably support students in obtaining good jobs in in-demand industries. Partnerships with industry (including public entities) is required. Applicants should focus on tested strategies designed to build further evidence on the effectiveness of sector-based career pathways programs in promoting positive employment outcomes. These strategies will also address identified equity gaps to increase full access to educational and economic opportunities–particularly for individuals from historically underserved communities.
To date, DoL has made three rounds of grants to community colleges around the country, but no TCUs have received an award. We encourage you to investigate this program and consider applying. DoL is anxious to receive TCU applications! If you have immediate questions, send your questions to the forecast. At this time there is limited information that may be shared with the public as this FOA is currently under development. DoL encourages prospective applicants and interested parties to use the grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular FOA.
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