The increasing Native American enrollment at campuses across the
United States is something to be celebrated. It reflects the
resiliency of Native people across the country, a commitment on the
part of Native students and their families to pursue educational
goals, and the growing strength in tribal government and tribal
economies. However, the underlying reality that the retention rate
for Native American students is the lowest for any group in higher
education ought be a source of tremendous concern. It is a
consequence of the history of Native Americans in the United
States; the state of elementary and secondary education for many
Native Americans; and the lack of awareness in much of higher
education to Native American students, people, and issues.
What are the trends in enrollment for Native American students?
What do we know about their experiences on our campuses? What
contributes to their success in pursuing their educational
aspirations, and what inhibits them? How might greater awareness of
contemporary issues in Indian country affect our ability to serve
Native American students? How might knowledge of Native American
epistemology, cultural traditions, and social structures help in
our efforts to address challenges and opportunities on our
campuses? In this volume of the New Directions in Student
Services series, scholars and practitioners alike, most of
them Native American, address these important questions.