IAIA will launch graduation incentive program for 2017 freshmen SANTA FE, N.M. – The Institute of American Indian Arts announced on April 17 that it will begin a financial incentive program for incoming freshmen for the fall 2017 semester that will reward stu- dents for attaining their bachelor’s degree in four years (eight semesters) or less. Students who accomplish this will receive a rebate on tuition for their senior year, earning a 25 percent savings on their tuition. Because IAIA includes books in tuition costs, the books required for their senior year classes also will be free if they meet the criteria of the program. To qualify, full-time, degree-seeking freshmen students will need to take a minimum of 15 college credit hours each semester, meet program requirements and remain in good academic and disciplinary standing – along with signing an agree- ment for admission into the program. Studies have shown that students who complete their degree program in four years have a greater degree of career suc- cess than students who take five or more years to finish – and many students who don’t complete their program in four years are less likely to receive their degree for a variety of reasons. The program (with varying incen- tives) is known nationally as “15 to Finish” and has been implemented in a number of colleges (and states) across the country. It is modeled after a University of Hawai’i program that experienced a significant increase (14.7 percent in one year) in the number of students who completed at least 15 college credits a semester. Encouraging college students to complete at least 15 credits a semester, or 30 a year, will put them in a position to graduate on time (on-time graduation for bachelor’s degrees is four years). A key part of the program will be to change the long-standing perception that taking 12 credit hours a semester is enough to graduate on time. For most degree programs at IAIA, a bachelor’s degree requires120 credits. The primary goal of the campaign is to improve college completion rates at IAIA and reduce the cost and time for degree completion for students partici- pating in the program. The idea is that a full course-load helps increase academic success and decrease student costs. Research indicates that students are more likely to get better grades, improve their financial state (by getting into the workplace sooner) and experience more options for their immediate future (by finishing on time, students have more life choices. They can get an advanced degree, take time off to travel or volunteer, or start working full time). The historic data has revealed a com- mon thread – and an animating principle to guide efforts to boost graduation rates at IAIA: The longer it takes to graduate, the more life gets in the way of student success. The program will be supported by an advertising campaign targeting prospec- tive IAIA students along with their key influencers, which include parents and families, K-12 teachers and staff, and college faculty and staff. A group of recent IAIA graduates who finished their bachelor’s degree in four years are now employed by their Tribes in various positions, one is employed by the American Indian College Fund and another has been accepted into the IAIA MFA in Creative Writing program. Much of the research for this program has been provided by Complete College America. Established in 2009, Complete AICF receives $1 million for traditional arts and culture preservation program at Tribal colleges and universities DENVER – The American Indian College Fund has received a $1 million grant to continue its Restoration and Pres- ervation of Traditional Native Art Forms and Knowledge program at Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). The program expands knowledge and skills at these institutions across the country while also placing endangered art forms at the center of its focus. The program places elders in TCU classrooms, giving them the opportunity to teach endangered art forms and share their knowledge, experiences and stories with younger generations. Apprentices and artists-in-residence have the opportu- nity to learn cultural knowledge firsthand from these master artists. TCUs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota are eli- gible to apply to participate. Applications are available by contacting Bridget Skena- dore, Native arts and culture projects coor- dinator, at bskenadore@collegefund.org. Deadline for application is May 5, 2017. The generous grant is funded by the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies. About AICF Founded in 1989, the American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for more than 25 years. This Most Often Requested Numbers 14 • Siletz News • May 2017 College America is a national nonprofit with a single mission – to work with states to significantly increase the number of Americans with quality career certificates or college degrees and to close attainment gaps for traditionally underrepresented populations. Learn more about the program at completecollege.org. For more information on the IAIA incentive program, and details on qualify- ing criteria for incoming students, please go to: www.iaia.edu/4for3. Offering undergraduate degrees in studio arts, creative writing, cinematic arts and technology, indigenous liberal studies, and museum studies – and a graduate degree in creative writing – IAIA is the only college in the nation dedicated to the study of contemporary Native arts. The school serves 593 Native and non-Native college students from across the globe. IAIA is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Cen- tral Association of Colleges and is the only college in New Mexico accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. UO offers in-state tuition to Siletz Tribal students The University of Oregon contin- ues to offer in-state tuition benefits to enrolled Siletz Tribal members regard- less of their current state of residency. The Residency by Aboriginal Right Program was first offered in 2001 to 44 Tribes that have aboriginal territories within the state of Oregon that pre-date 1850. Out-of-state students will pay in-state tuition, a $20,000 savings each academic year. For more information about UO, visit uoregon.edu. Courtesy photo from AICF Butch Thunderhawk (Dakota), 61, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Tribe, presents a horse effigy demonstration at United Tribes Technical University (UTTC). Thunderhawk, whose family roots are in the Tribe’s Cannonball District, teaches traditional Native arts at UTTC. In his 36 years with the university, he has specialized in the interpretation and creation of Plains Tribal objects and art. As the college’s Tribal arts instructor, Thunderhawk is a beloved figure on campus, an accomplished and well-known artist, and a respected member of the faculty. fund believes “Education is the answer” and has provided more than 100,000 scholarships since its inception and an average of 6,000 scholarships per year to American Indian students. The fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 34 accredited Tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators. For more information, visit colleg- efund.org. Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians – 800-922-1399 Salem Area Office – 503-390-9494 Salem Finance Office – 888-870-9051 Portland Area Office – 503-238-1512 Eugene Area Office – 541-484-4234 Contract Health Services (CHS) – 800-628-5720 Siletz Community Health Clinic – 800-648-0449 Siletz Behavioral Health – 800-600-5599 Chinook Winds Casino Resort – 888-244-6665 Chemawa Health Clinic – 800-452-7823 Bureau of Indian Affairs – 800-323-8517 Website – ctsi.nsn.us