Big Progress in a Short Time

By almost any criterion, the Native American Program at Dartmouth is thriving, according to the 1977 report of the visiting committee charged with periodic evaluation of its progress.

Committee chairman John L. Steele '39 reviewed at the June Alumni Council meeting the program's origins and aims and the accomplishments of Indian students at the College since 1965, when they "in any visible numbers began to cross our threshold."

Of the 110 entering the College in that interval, Steele reported, more than 80 per cent had either graduated or were currently enrolled at Dartmouth or at other institutions - "no mean achievement, accomplished after a rough start and over just a few college generations." As of June, 12 Indian students from Dartmouth were in graduate schools - nine in law, one in medicine, two in other fields - and others were expecting to go on to postgraduate studies. Last year, 42 Indian students were enrolled. Six graduated in June, and 13 were expected to matriculate with the Class of 1981.

Another measure of the program's success, Steele said, is the "significant role of service to their tribes, communities, and government" these students from more than 40 tribes are beginning to play - as teachers, counselors, administrators, or staff members of Indian youth and economic organizations.

As in the 1975 report, this year's visiting committee evaluation noted the problems - from the standpoint of geographic dispersion, tribal organization, individual and college finances, and awareness of Dartmouth - in recruiting and enrolling promising young Indian students.

Although no overall figure is available for the cost of the program, the Native American Council, its office and programming are budgeted at $42,000; and instructional costs for Native American Studies, in which most of the students enrolled are non-Indian, at $50,000. The Admissions Office has $6,000 allocated for recruitment, in addition to an uncalculated percentage of the salary of an admissions officer with special responsibilities for Indian candidates. Last year the financial aid office dispersed about $70,000 in Dartmouth scholarship funds to Indian students and approved another $25,000 in repayable loans. Scholarship funds from outside sources amounted to about $48,000.