Date of Completion

Summer 8-31-2025

Thesis Advisor(s)

Sandy Grande

Honors Major

Political Science

Abstract

Out of the thousands of universities in America, there are only thirty-seven Native American Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs), schools with ten percent or more of the total student population being of Native American descent. While many typical American colleges offer courses on Native American history for students with Native American studies majors and minors, the students involved in these programs are often taught through the lens of traditional schooling, which negates the full effectiveness of these classes. Native leaders across the country are pushing for Native frameworks to be adopted by universities so that past and contemporary Native histories may be taught in more authentic and rewarding ways to both students and professors. This thesis focuses on the efforts of administrators at the University of Connecticut who are working with tribal leaders to establish the Avery Point campus as a Native American Serving Nontribal Institution (NASNTI). This step would allow the university to bring in more Native professors and advisors who could aid in the process of incorporating Native frameworks into various curriculums at the university. The research done for this thesis was a comparative look at the effectiveness of ten NASNTIs across the country. A theoretical framework section accompanies the data collection. The theoretical framework set up in this thesis focuses on the history of higher education, education styles, and racial differences in America, all which tie back to the lack of NASNTIs in this country.

Download

Share

COinS