Code Switch Tribal colleges are a unique resource — and they're under threat
Nov 12, 2025
Graham Lee Brewer, an Associated Press reporter focused on Indian Country, leads a discussion on the unique role of tribal colleges. Ruth de la Cruz shares insights on the Four Sisters Garden and revitalizing traditional seed banks. Mike Bartholomew emphasizes the importance of archival projects for Indigenous knowledge. Student Zaysha Grinnell highlights the community-centered learning experience enriched by elder involvement. Together, they address funding challenges and the impact on cultural education, revealing the resilience and significance of these institutions.
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Rebuilding Ancestral Seed Banks
- Ruth de la Cruz runs a seed bank and garden at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College to recover ancestral crops like Hidatsa squash.
- They source seeds from elders, anthropologists, and community members to rebuild shared seed stocks.
TCUs Blend Tradition With Higher Ed
- Tribal colleges get core funding from federal agencies like USDA and NSF and were created during the self-determination movement.
- They preserve Indigenous worldviews while providing accessible higher education in rural areas.
Funding Is A Trust Responsibility
- Proposed federal cuts created deep uncertainty for TCUs despite their legal trust relationship with the U.S. government.
- Funding is framed as treaty-based trust responsibilities, not DEI funding, making cuts a breach of obligations.
