(Bismarck, ND) — The North Dakota Tribal College System is worried Congress will cut tribal college funding. Executive Director Dr. Tracey Bauer says President Trump’s 2027 budget calls for cuts by up to 90 percent for tribal schools. She says tribal colleges are often lumped into efforts to eliminate DEI programs but the funding agreements are guaranteed in large part due to treaties with Native American tribes and people. She says upholding the funds outlined in the treaties are not optional. Bauer tells KFYR, “I think our colleges would be able to keep their doors open for possibly a year or two but beyond that, it’s not sustainable.”
