{"id":11373,"date":"2021-01-07T05:22:22","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T10:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/chief-dull-knife-college-receives-one-million-no-strings-attached\/"},"modified":"2021-01-07T05:22:25","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T10:22:25","slug":"chief-dull-knife-college-receives-one-million-no-strings-attached","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/chief-dull-knife-college-receives-one-million-no-strings-attached\/","title":{"rendered":"Chief Dull Knife College receives one million \u2013 No strings attached"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr. Richard Littlebear, President (Photo Courtesy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dr. Richard Littlebear, President, Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC) on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, MT still doesn\u2019t know exactly why his tribal college was selected as one of six in the western area to receive one million dollars from philanthropist\u201d Mackenzie Scott. Scott, reported to be the 4th richest woman in the United States recently gifted over 4 billion dollars to non-profit institutions which were thoroughly \u201cvetted\u201d and recommended by her staff, Littlebear said.
\nOther western tribal colleges which received one million apiece are: Salish-Kootenai College, Flathead Reservation, MT; Blackfeet Tribal College, Blackfeet Reservation.MT; Turtle Mountain Tribal College, Turtle Mountain Reservation, North Dakota; Navajo Technical University, Navajo Reservation, Arizona and Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico. All total, 6,000 organizations in the U.S. were gifted, in varying amounts.
\nThese institutions were carefully researched for some time before the award was publicly announced. Littlebear and other college presidents sworn to secrecy until then. \u201cWhen I asked why we received one of the awards, the representatives simply said that we were doing a \u2018good job\u2019.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s absolutely astonishing,\u201d Littlebear continued. \u201cThere are no strings attached other than a three-year period to spend or obligate it. That\u2019s almost unheard of and will present a planning and prioritizations challenge.\u201d
\nLittlebear likes to think that one reason the award was given is because under his 20-year tenure as President, the college has focused on being a good steward of the funding it receives. Leslie Evertz, tribal member and Chief Financial Officer, often called Dr. Littlebears \u2018right hand\u2019, has been with the college for that same amount of time and concurs. \u201cIt is an honor to receive this funding and have our efforts and work on behalf of education recognized and rewarded. This gift will allow us to expand our educational services and work with the community.\u201d
\nEvertz also credited Dr. Littlebear in other ways. \u201cWhen we first started, there were times when making payroll was tough, but over the years we have become very stable and grown considerably\u201d.
\nLittlebear has an Ed.D. in Education from Boston University and Evertz has an MBA. Prior to CDKC each worked in the private sector and with other tribal groups.
\n\u201cOur staff is so excited, astounded and amazed.\u201d Littlebear said. \u201cThere already many ideas and suggestions for use of the funds, but we are going to be very deliberative about planning and hopefully this gift will benefit the college, faculty and students for many years to come.\u201d
\nWith that in mind, when the spring semester starts on January 25, the faculty, students and Board of Trustees will have the opportunity to make requests and recommendations to assist in formulating an overall plan for use of the funds. Due to COVID, the college has implemented thorough health and safety measures and trained faculty to conduct effective long-distance learning via computer. Yet, as Littlebear explained due to limited internet services on the reservation, students have strongly expressed the desire to return to a normal \u201cface-to-face\u201d classroom learning environment. \u201cWe are going to do everything possible to make that happen\u201d he said.
\nLittlebear himself has several thoughts including scholarship programs, an emergency fund to assist low-income students; improved internet access for learning; raises for faculty who have normally been lucky to get a 2-3% COLA provided by federal funding and shoring up the CDKC Foundation. \u201cWe have a very dedicated faculty who could make more money elsewhere,\u201d he said, \u201cbut they are dedicated to CDKC.\u201d The current faculty is a mix of non-Indians and tribal members, but the support staff are nearly all tribal members.\u201d But he humbly says that he is only one voice and the final plan will represent the best options though consensus building.
\nCDKC has a nearly forty- year history as a successful institution of higher learning. First established as a vocational school in the 1970\u2019s it was an Indian Action Program (IAP) facility providing vocational training enabling many tribal members to learn the skills necessary for employment at the Colstrip power complex. However, in 1979, it was formally chartered as a tribal community college by the Tribal Council, providing autonomy from the tribal government structure. Fully accredited by the Northwest Accreditation Committee on which Littlebear serves, students can easily transfer all credits to other colleges.
\nThe college averages 300 students per semester, even the summer session when many area teachers seek continuing education credits. Also, a significant number of students are non-Cheyenne, many traveling from Colstrip, Forsyth, neighboring white communities and even the Crow Reservation.
\nThe college operates under the policy advice and recommendations of a reservation-wide and publicly elected Board of Directors, who will also be providing input as part of their role as advisors and policymakers. The current Board includes Jenny Parker, Chair (Ashland); Florence Running Wolf (Birney); Roseanne Headswift (Lame Deer); Jackie Tang (Busby); Sidney Fox (Ashland) and Barbara Clubfoot (Muddy).
\nFormer Tribal Vice-President, Winfield Russell also served many terms on the CDKC Board of Directors, a staunch college supported and close friend of Dr. Littlebear. \u201cI wish he was here today,\u201d the college president concluded nostalgically. \u201cHe would have many good ideas, especially for our work with language retention and the elders. And, our former Tribal President Rynalea Whiteman Pena, now a State Legislator also served on the Board and will continue to be a good supporter,\u201d<\/p>\n

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The post Chief Dull Knife College receives one million \u2013 No strings attached<\/a> first appeared on Native Sun News Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Dr. Richard Littlebear, President (Photo Courtesy) Dr. Richard Littlebear, President, Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC) on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, MT still doesn\u2019t know exactly why his tribal college was selected as one of six in the western area to receive one million dollars from philanthropist\u201d Mackenzie Scott. Scott, reported <\/p>\n

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Shared by Native Sun News Today<\/a> January 7, 2021<\/p>\n

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