California Indian Nations College on track to become state’s only federally accredited tribal college
Kendall Flynn
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The California Indian Nations College in Palm Desert is receiving help to become California’s only federally accredited tribal college.
Friday morning, Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) presented a $10 million state general fund check to CINC. The check presentation will help it become the state’s only federally accredited tribal college.
Becoming federally accredited is crucial for the college to access funding opportunities and it recognizes the college’s programs. A federally accredited tribal college, like the two-year CINC, is controlled and operated by a federally recognized American Indian tribe and offers programs incorporating indigenous culture.
California has the greatest numbers of Native Americans in the United States, but has not had an institution accredited, compared to the more than 30 accredited tribal colleges with 75 campuses throughout 13 states.
CINC was granted candidacy/pre-accreditation status in January by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
Officials with CINC said this accreditation is particularly important because the “high school graduation rate for American Indians is 11.4% lower than the overall rate, and the college going rate is 14.4% lower than the overall.”
According to Friday’s event organizers, CINC does not receive ongoing federal or state support. The tribal college has received one-time state funding for $5 million in 2022 to help reach accreditation, and $9 million in seed money from the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians.
Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials on the check presentation and its importance for reaching accreditation status.