ICE-TI: A Decolonized Approach to an AAS in Social and Behavioral Sciences

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A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the Nation's indigenous students. Expanding the STEM curricular offerings at these institutions expands the opportunities for their students to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, provides for research studies in areas that may be culturally significant, and encourages a community and generational appreciation for science and mathematics education. This project aligns directly with that goal, and moreover may serve as a model and impetus for similar institutions of higher education to develop degree programs in the behavioral sciences. It also strongly supports the Red Lake Nation College (RLNC) mission to provide high quality STEM instruction that is grounded in the Ojibwe language and culture of the Red Lake Nation.Given the significant community need and workforce opportunity, many RLNC students are interested in careers in the social sciences, but are faced with little formal education available to them. RLNC, from its unique position to provide instruction in the social and behavioral sciences in the context of Red Lake Nation culture, language, and traditions, is revamping and upgrading its current social and behavioral science offerings so that it meets the needs of students, clients, social services agencies, and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. RLNC is infusing its AAS degree program with more program-specific curriculum and experiential components and will include development and implementation of a Red Lake Nation College Institutional Review Board.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.