Recommendations to the Board of Regents

Recommended Goal:	To develop a coordinated Montana Indian Education Action Plan with the Board of Public Educaiton and Office of Public Instruction.
Suggested Action:	Establish an initial plan with baseline data which is to be updated and reviewed annually to promote equity, access, and proportionality of Montana Indian students' participation, achievement, and completion.
Suggested Action:	Establish an initial plan with baseline data which is to be updated and reviewed annually to promote equity, access, and proportionality of Montana Indian students' participation, achievement, and completion.
Suggested Action:	Establish measurable objectives by unit and discipline.
Suggested Action:	Direct the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education to provide current data that pertains to Montana Indians in the postsecondary system for inclusion in the Plan
Suggested Action:	Cooperate with the Board of Public Education in the development of a unified plan for Montana Indian education.
Suggested Action:	Direct the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education to develop Montana University system campus action plans which shall include an assessment of their current efforts pertaining to Montana Indian and other minority recruitment, retention and degree completion as well as an outline of future plans for improvement.
Suggested Action:	Seek advice and input from education organizations such as the Montana Committee for American Indian Higher Education, the Montana Advisory Council for Indian Educaiton and the Montana Indian Education Association.
Suggested Action:	Conduct an annual state-wide forum on Indian education.
Recommended Goal:	To establish an American Indian advisory board.
Suggested Action:	Seek the advice of Montana Indian education organizations to include them in this process and take action to establish an advisory board.
Recommended Goal:	To establish a permanent position within the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education to address issues pertaining to the achievement of Montana Indians and other minorities.
Suggested Action:	Designate a permanent staff position.
Suggested Aciton:	Commit resources for data collection, analysis, research and other position functions.
Recommended Goal:	To create campus support systems for Montana Indians and other minorities through campus action plans.
Suggested Action:	Establish internships in theFinancial Aid Offices and in other programs.
Suggested Aciton:	Establish Financial Aid Scholarships for Montana Indian students.
Suggested Action:	Review admissions standards for potential / actual impact on Montana Indian and other minority students.
Suggestion Action:	Research and develop support and retention systems for Montana Indians and other miniority students.
Suggested Action:	Establish early outreach programs such as bridge programs (graduating high school seniors enrolled in special summer programs) and junior high school day on campus.
Suggested Action:	Strengthen liaison with tribal education programs.
Recommended Goal:	To establish formal relationships with each of the Montana Tribal Colleges.
Suggested Action:	Meet with each tribal college president and their board members to determine the nature of the relationship and establish regular meeting dates.
Suggested Action:	Assure tribal college participation in relevant Montana University System inter-campus committees.
Suggested Action:	Continue to coordinate efforts to establish uniform core curriculum requirements.
Recommended Goal:	To develop strategies to increase the number of American Indian counselors, administrators, and teachers.
Suggested Action:	Direct the Regents Task Force on Minority Achievement to meet with campus officials, the Board of Public Education, the Montana Indian Education Association, the Montana Education Association, the Montana Federation of Teachers, and the Montana Committee for American Indian Higher Education to discuss possible strategies.
Recommended Goal:	To establish a Montana University System affirmative action plan.
Suggested Action:	Develop a model affirmative action plan for the Montana University System in order to achieve affirmative action for Montana University System in order to achieve affirmative action for Montana Indians and other minorities.
Recommended Goal:	To establish a policy to address institutional racism.
Suggested Action:	Direct the Regents Task Force on Minority Achievement to define and assess institutional racism within the Montana University System.
Recommended Goal:	To establish a major in Native American Studies.
Suggested Action:	Seek feasibility proposals for the development of a major in Native American Studies from individual Montana University System units.
Suggested Action:	Work with the Board of Public Education in the development of an endorsement for Native American Studies graduates who wish to teach.
Recommended Goal:	To establish Board of Regents fellowships for exemplary Montana Indian graduate students.
Suggested Action:	Set aside a specific amount of money for the purpose of providing fellwships to Montana Indian graduate students.
Recommended Goal:	To increase the number of Montana Indians in teacher training programs.
Suggested Action:	Assess current enrollment statistics and the number of Indian graduates for the past ten years (1980-1990).
Suggested Action:	Compare Indian graduate and certification data to state-wide teacher data in cooperation with the Office of Public Instruction.
Suggested Action:	Identify strategies to address any discrepancies by using 1) disparity of Indian teachers; 2) teacher replacement rates; 3)school enployment rates.
Suggested Action:	Establish qualitative goals for recruiting and graduating Montana Indians in teacher education which may include the identification of Indians employed as teacher aides, financial incentives and coordination efforts with tribal colleges.
Suggested Action:	Explore incentives with local school districts and tribal governments.
Suggested Action:	Encourage all units of the Montana University System to seek federal and private funds to expand Montana teacher training.
Recommended Goal:	To ensure that Native American Studies is a core curriculum requirement for all students attending the Montana University System.
Suggested Action:	Review core curriculum requirements which pertain to Native American Studies courses.
Recommended Goal:	To encourage the student representative of the Board of Regents to address American Indian and other minorities issues and concerns.
Suggested Action:	Provide opportunities for the student representative to attend the Montana Indian Education Association Convention and other state and regional conferences to assess concerns of Montana Indian students.