North Dakota Tribal Colleges and Universities are Concerned For Their Students’ Access to Funding

NORTH DAKOTA (KVRR) — Concerns are rising for North Dakota’s Tribal colleges and Universities as proposed changes to the federal Pell Grant program are at stake.

Currently, the Pell Grant program is facing a nearly $3 billion funding cut for the next year.

The program would require students to be full-time to be enrolled in 30 credits per year, up from 24, and eliminate grants for students enrolled part-time.

The TCU program serves students from more than 250 federally recognized Tribal Nations and generates $145.3 million in economic impact for North Dakota.

“It can actually force a student to leave their degree program because they would have to either make really really difficult choices in terms of whether they can cut back hours at work. Or whether they can afford to continue to go if the Pell is not available to them,” said Twyla Baker, President of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College.

Currently, TCU is recommending alternative pathways for funding education to current and future students.

But they are hopeful Congress will change its decision on eliminating part-time students from receiving the grant.