The Office of the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities (WHITCU) leads the implementation of Executive Order 13270, ensuring that the nation's Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) are more fully recognized and have full access to federal programs benefiting other higher education institutions.
There are 33 fully accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities in the United States. Three are in Associate Status. Located mainly in the Midwest and Southwest, Tribal Colleges and Universities service approximately 30,000 full- and part-time students. They offer two-year associate degrees in over 200 disciplines with some providing a bachelor's and master's degree. They also offer 200 vocational certificate programs.
Tribal Colleges and Universities are both integral and essential to their communities. They are often the only postsecondary institutions within some of our Nation's poorest rural areas. Tribal Colleges and Universities serve a variety of people, from young adults to senior citizens, American Indians to non-American Indians. They also provide crucial services and add hope to communities that suffer high rates of poverty and unemployment.
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