FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joseph V. Sowmick, (989) 775 4059, SCIT Public Relations
Dr. Jeffrey Hamley, (989) 775 4123, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College
President Bush Signs Legislation Conferring Land Grant Status on Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College
President Bush signed on March 2, 2004, Public Law 108-204, Native American Technical Corrections Act of 2004, a bill composed of 3 titles with 26 substantive provisions. Section 128 adds the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College to the list of eligible institutions under the Equity in Educational Land Grant Status Act of 1994.
The original Land Grant Act of 1862 and the Land Grant Act of 1890 helped establish institutions of higher learning across the nation dedicated to the teaching of "agriculture and the mechanic arts." The mission of Land Grant institutions has broadened over the years to encompass science, nutrition, leadership, youth activities, and other areas. Acknowledging that tribal colleges play a similar role within their tribal communities, Congress added them in 1994.
The Equity in Educational Land Grant Status Act of 1994 authorized land grant status to 29 tribal colleges; two more have since been added. These are known as the “1994 Land Grant Institutions.” Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College thus joins the 31 Tribal Colleges and Universities that comprise the 1994 Land Grant Institutions under the Equity in Educational Land Grant Status Act of 1994.
Tribal College President, Dr. Jeffrey Hamley, stated: “We are very pleased with this development. We look forward to joining the 31 other 1994 Land Grant Institutions and participating in programs that benefit our students. We have much to learn from our sister tribal colleges and universities about land grant programming. Planning our involvement in the USDA 1994 Land Grant Institutions program is already underway.”
Board of Regents Chair Paul Johnson stated: “This is a milestone for the Tribal College, as well as our chartering body, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. The Board of Regents has worked to expand opportunities that the Tribal College provides to students and the USDA Land Grant program is yet another example of this effort.”
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College is a non-profit, higher education institution established by a 1998 resolution of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council. The College’s mission is to provide higher education programming to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the larger community. (See www.sagchip.org/tribalcollege for more information about the college.)
