Breaching the "Cultural Contract:" Committing to Cultural Sensitivity and Cultural Inclusion for Native American College Students

Abstract

A culturally responsive, respectful, and inclusive academic environment is a must for Native Americanstudents. Educational institutions must work to accommodate and allow Native American culturaltraditions to become an integral part of the classroom, of teaching and learning procedures andprocesses, and of the student experience in general (Burk, 2007). At the colleges and universities oftoday, Native American students often face challenges beyond that of students from the dominant,typically White, non-Hispanic culture; these challenges are reflected in low retention and collegedropout rates of Native American and Alaskan Native students nationwide (Campbell, 2007).Research has indicated that these students face challenges that can include unsupportive faculty(Jackson, 2002), a feeling of a lack of understanding and a lack of desire to understand NativeAmerican culture and the cultures of underrepresented students in general (Hornet, 1989),helplessness in connecting campus experiences to cultural and family experiences, a lack of elderrepresentation and mentors on campus (Perry, 2002; Tierney, 1992), and academic responses thatreflect attitudes that are discriminatory, culturally insensitive and/or reflective of institutionalized racism(Jackson, 2002).