By Dr. Juliet Maestas, Tribal Education Policy Advocate

Operating in 16 states, and serving students from more than 250 federally recognized tribes, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) are vital centers of education, culture, and community for American Indian and Alaska Native Nations. Situated primarily in rural and economically underserved areas, these institutions are critical not only for postsecondary access but also for preserving language, revitalizing culture, and advancing Tribal self-determination. Additionally, they are “critical in workforce development and economic revitalization, benefiting entire states” (AIHEC, 2025a). Yet, their continued operation is imperiled by recent federal actions that threaten the stability of the funding structures upon which they rely.

On March 24, 2025, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) issued a statement warning of significant consequences stemming from the Executive Order titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities” (AIHEC, 2025b). This directive instructs the Secretary of Education to begin the process of dismantling the US Department of Education — a move that risks the disruption of billions of dollars in federal education funding, including resources that directly support TCUs. Without this funding, many Tribal colleges — already underfunded and overstretched — face potential program cuts, staffing losses, and closures. TCUs receive 74% of their total revenue from federal funding.

This threat is not abstract. Federal support for TCUs stems directly from the United States’ trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations — legal and moral commitments embedded in the Constitution, upheld by Congress, and recognized by the US Supreme Court. These are not discretionary programs; they are the material expression of the unique political status of Tribal Nations and their right to self-governance and educational sovereignty (AIHEC, 2025c).

Two institutions in particular — Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute — are operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) under the Department of the Interior. As such, they are federally run and especially vulnerable to proposed federal workforce reductions. According to AIHEC and the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), such cuts could “eliminate vital services and much needed educational programs the students need to complete their degree programs” (AIHEC, 2025b).

Compounding this situation is the growing tendency to conflate Tribal programs with broader efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This mischaracterization is both misleading and legally inaccurate. A letter signed by more than two dozen national Tribal organizations warns that any attempt to misclassify Tribal programs as optional DEI initiatives would “severely undermine the trust relationship” and threaten the progress made during the last half-century of federal Indian policy (AIHEC, 2025c p. 3).

TCUs do more than educate — they serve as anchors of sovereignty, economic stability, and cultural continuity in Indian Country. Any disruption to their funding undermines not only educational equity but also the federal government’s credibility in fulfilling its obligations to Tribal Nations. The dismantling of the Department of Education or the imposition of workforce cuts without proper Tribal consultation would represent a serious breach of this relationship. 

As policymakers consider the implications of recent executive orders, they must reaffirm their commitment to Tribal Nations by ensuring uninterrupted funding and exempting TCU personnel from harmful workforce reductions. Moreover, federal agencies must maintain government-to-government consultation with Tribal leaders to avoid making unilateral decisions that impact tribal communities. 

TCUs are not peripheral actors in the US higher education system. They are essential institutions grounded in sovereignty and cultural resilience. The future of these colleges — and the students and communities they serve — depends on federal officials honoring the commitments that history and law require them to uphold.

Juliet McKinnon Maestas (Hoopa Valley Tribe/descendant of Yurok tribe) is the former President of the California Tribal College. Dr. Maestas is a consultant with Red Sky Education of Northern California. 

References

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC, 2025a). Legislative Priorities. Disrupting TCU Funding Harms Local Economies. https://webassets.aihec.org/About-Us/LegislativeIssues/California%20Fed%20Freeze%20TCU%20One%20Pager.pdf 

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC, 2025b, March 24). AIHEC warns of potential impacts on Tribal Colleges as Executive Order targets Department of Education closure. [Press release]. https://www.aihec.org/policy-and-advocacy/executive-branch/

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC, 2025c, February 2). Status of Tribal Nations as Political Entities in the Implementation of the President’s New Executive Orders. https://webassets.aihec.org/Policy-Advocacy/ExecBranchDocs/Tribal_Orgs'_Letter%20_re_Political_Entity_Status_in_new_Executive%20Orders_2FEB2025.pdf

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC, 2025d, February 19). AIHEC and NIEA call for exemption in workforce reductions at Bureau of Indian Education operated Tribal Colleges and K-12 schools. [Press release]. https://www.aihec.org