UNDERSTANDING THE MEDICINE WHEEL:

A WHOLE STUDENT APPROACH TO ADVISING NATIVE AMERICAN AND

ALASKAN NATIVE STUDENTS

Katie Nester, Senior Academic Success Advisor, Admission & AdvisingElizabeth Perrault, Science & Math Advisor, Native American Center

Fort Lewis College Durango,

Colorado

Outline Fort Lewis College introduction and historical

highlights Native American education historical

highlights Native American college students today The medicine wheel Advising Native American students from a

whole-student perspective Case study practice session Best practices

Fort Lewis College – Who We Are

Designated as Colorado’s public liberal arts college Total student population: 3,893 Student-to-faculty ratio: 19:1 Advising model - decentralized, faculty-led, supported by many secondary advisors

Most popular majors:Business (20%), Biology (9%), Education (8%) Psychology (7%), Exercise Science (7%), Art (6%)

Unique majors:Native American & Indigenous Studies, Public Health, Adventure Education, Student Constructed

Fort Lewis College – Who We Are Native American population: 790 students (20%) Number of tribes and Alaska Native villages represented: 144 Most common tribal affiliations

Navajo (58%) Alaskan Native (11.6%) Cherokee (6.5%)

Most popular Native American student majors:

Business Administration (15%), Biology (9%), Undeclared (8%), Psychology (7%), Art (7%), Exercise Science (6%), Engineering (6%)

Most common degree earned by Native American students:

Business Administration (10%), Sociology (10%), Biology (9%), English (8%), Exercise Science (8%)

Fort Lewis College – History 1878 – Fort Lewis is established as a US Army Post to maintain

a military presence near the southern branch of the Utes. 1891 – The US government closed the site as a military post

and established in its place an Indian boarding school.

Adams, David W. (1995); Photo courtesy of Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies.

Circa 1895

Fort Lewis College – History

1910 – The U.S. government deeded the property to the State of Colorado stipulating as a condition of the grant “that Indian Pupils shall at all times be admitted to such school free of charge for tuition and on terms of equality with white pupils.”

Sacred Trust was createdFederal Indian Appropriation Bill of April 4, 1910, 36 Stat. 269 (1910)

Fort Lewis College – Native American Tuition Waiver

Waives tuition ONLY Students are responsible for paying

fees, books, room and board, etc Tuition waiver applies to in-

state AND out-of-state students Requirements for eligibility:

Provide enrollment or census number verification

Prove Native American descendancy

Native Americans and Higher Education Federal Era

Late 1700s to early 1900s 1860- Federal government establishes 1st Indian Boarding School 1892 – “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” – Captain Richard H. Pratt Historical trauma

Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)

Native Americans and Higher Education

Self-Determination Era Began in the 1930s, but did not

gain momentum until the 1960s 1972 – Indian Education Act of

1972 Provides federal assistance “to help

close the gap which now exists between Indian education and the general educational level of the United States.”

Created the Office of Indian Education within the US Department of Education

Established the National Advisory Council for Indian Education

1975 – The Indian Self-Determination Act gives tribes (not government officials) authority to prioritize federal funds for education.Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)

Native American College Students Today – Enrollment, Retention & Graduation

In past 40 years, NA enrollment in higher education has doubled (.5% to 1%).

American Indians have the lowest retention rate of any minority group in higher education.

2002 four-year national graduation rates from public institutions of higher education Overall 29.9% Native Americans 16%Native Americans are the smallest population of

individuals graduating with a bachelor’s degree

Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)National Center for Education Statistics (2011).

2nd Year

(2000)

2nd Year

(2010)

2nd year (2008)

3rd Year

(2000)

3rd Year

(2008)

4th Year

(2000)

4th Year

(2008)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

55

6559

68

37

5460 61

All Students Caucasian American Indian/Alaskan Native

Fort Lewis College Retention Rates2000 vs. 2010

Rete

ntion

Rat

e (%

)

4th Year (2000)

4th Year (2007)

6th Year (2000)

6th Year (2005)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1317

3337

1620

36

42

3

8

1820

All Students White

Fort Lewis College - Graduation RatesG

radu

atio

n R

ate

(%)

Factors Affecting Native American Student Retention and Graduation

Striving to adjust to the college environment; lack of knowledge on the culture of higher education Difference in world view Cultural differences with white majority culture (returning home for ceremonies, conflicts with Western

science and tradition) Preserving cultural identity; “Living in two worlds” Cultural and family isolation Academic preparedness Lack of financial resources Perceived discriminatory climate

DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008); Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005); Garland, J. (2011); Springer, M. (2011)

Indicators for Native American Student Success Support from family Institutional commitment Personal commitment Participation in campus groups, establishing

meaningful social networks Involvement with NA campus community,

particularly NA faculty and staff Strong retention programs and student services;

participation in the institution’s Native American Center

Experiencing a sense of belonging Living and working on campus Supportive faculty and staff; mentoring

relationships

DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008); Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005); Garland, J. (2011); Springer, M. (2011)

Understanding the Medicine WheelNorth

West East

South

Asian

European

African

North &South American

Fire & Sun

Air & Animals

Earth & Minerals

Water & Plants

Mind

Body

Heart

SoulAsian

Fire & SunSoulNorth &

South AmericanWater & Plants

Heart

AfricanEarth & Minerals

Body

EuropeanAir & Animals

Mind

Warne, Donald, Oglala Lakota

Interpret

Decisions

Implement

Actions

Feelings

Reactions

Feedback

Understanding the Medicine Wheel

Values

Warne, Donald, Oglala Lakota

MindMent

alBody

Physical

HeartEmotional

SoulSpiritual

Developmental Advising

Burns B. Crookston Advising within the

context of a student’s “rational processes, environmental and interpersonal interactions, behavioral awareness, and problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluation skills”

Advising as teaching Prescriptive versus

developmental advisingCrookston, B. (1972)

A Whole Student Approach to Advising Native American Students

Whole-student approach an understanding that a

wide variety of developmental, academic, personal, social, financial, emotional, and cultural factors may affect student academic performance

A Whole Student Approach to Advising Native American Students

Abilities What informs an advisor about

a student’s potential?

Motivation What does an advisor need to

know about what motivates a student to be successful in college?

Relationships What role does the

advisor/advisee relationship play in developmental advising?

Crookston, B. (1972)

A Whole-Student Approach to Advising Native American Students

Coll & Draves Effective advising is

sensitive to advisee worldviews because “these frameworks provide students with the personal information they use to make decisions about remaining in their school”

Student satisfaction positively related to time spent discussing personal values

Coll & Draves (2009)

Appointment topic: student is having difficulty with course work Native American, freshman, biology major,

female, age 21 1st semester grades: Cumulative GPA after 1st semester: 2.18 Mid-term grades: D, B, C-, D (16 credits) Remedial math placement, college level

English Hold on account for unpaid bill

Case Study

Class 1 4 B-Class 2 4 C+Class 3 4 C+Class 4 3 D+

Best Practices for Interpreting Values

Spend time building trust and rapport Ask some general get to know you questions -where are you from? How is your living situation? Ask students about course rigor, course load,

involvement on campus, personal interests Explore the causes of their academic issue

Academic, social, personal, fianacial, family Explore their motivation

Determine strengths Level of family support

Three Golden Rules1. Do not assume students know the “language of higher education”

2. Empower your advisees to find their voice.3. Provide information about the goals of advising relationships

Case Study continued…. Lives on campus in family housing Has a 2 year old daughter, and custody of 7

year old sister Homesick; misses extended family First generation college student On a tribal scholarship, needs to be above 2.0 Has Pell and Workstudy, not using workstudy Not involved on campus Has no idea who her faculty advisor is

Best Practices for Implementing Action

Orient the student to the University/College, both as a campus and as a system.

Orient the student to the local area and to living in the area. Help the students feel they are a part of the campus community. Students must have some place where they feel they belong. Find out what local services are available to Native Americans. Provide help and be proactive about it. Never generalize; treat each student as a unique person. Orient yourself to Native models or ways of thinking. Foster and support the student’s Native Identity. Focus on the importance of schoolwork and classes. Find ways to identify and nurture the students’ strengths. Perceive and treat each Native student as able to succeed.

Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005)

Best Practices: Campus Wide Collaborative Advising Efforts

New Student Advising & Registration Early Alert and midterm outreach Upward Bound – bridge program Campus-wide advising meetings: Admission

& Advising, Native American Center, Academic Success, TRIO programs

Spiritual

Emotional

MentalStudent AdvisingAcademic OutreachTutoringMedia LoanWorkshops

Elder-In-ResidenceCeremonies (RSOs)Blessings

Wilderness ProgramHealthy EatingDinner with a Doctor Social Activities

AdvocatesOops HourRSOsCommunity Engagement

Physical

Best Practices: Native American Center

Student Advice to Advisors

Student feedback on advising: Play to student strengths Don’t be a “know it all” Listen and ask questions End on a positive note

Contact Information Katie Nester

Nester_K@fortlewis.edu (970) 382-6903

Elizabeth Perrault Perrault_E@fortlewis.edu (970) 247-7225

Admission & Advising: www.fortlewis.edu/advising Native American Center: www.fortlewis.edu/nac

References Adams, D. (1995). Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience

1875-1928. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. Coll, J., & Draves, P. (2009). Traditional age students: Worldviews and satisfaction with advising; a

homogenous study of student and advisors. The College Student Affairs Journal, 27(2), 215-223. Crookston, B. (1972). A developmental view of academic advising as teaching. Journal of College

Student Personnel, 13, 12-17. DeVoe, J., & Darling-Churchill, K. (2008). Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians

and Alaska Natives: 2008 (NCES 2008-084). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC.

Federal Indian Appropriation Bill of April 4, 1910, 36 Stat. 269 (1910) Fox, M., Lowe, S., & McClellan, G. (2005). Serving Native American Students. New Directions for

Student Services, no. 109. Hunt, B. & Harrington, C. (2008). The Impending Educational Crisis for American Indians: Higher

Education at the Crossroads. Journal of Multicultural, Gender and Minority Studies, 2(2). Garland, J. (2011). Exploring the College Student Involvement “Research Asterisk”: Identifying and

Rethinking Predictors of American Indian College Student Involvement. National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education presentation, 2011 Annual National Institute.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Graduation rates of first-time postsec students who start as fill-time degree seeking students, by sex, race/ethnicity, time betwn starting and graduating, and lvl and control of inst. where student started: Sl’d cohort entry years, 1996 through 2005. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d10/tables/dt10_341.asp

Springer, M. (2011). Defining the Intricacies, Needs, and Good Work of the Native American Student Services Unit. National Institute for Native Leadership in Higher Education presentation, 2011 Annual National Institute.