Tribal Colleges and Universities have been in existence for 50-plus years, serving not only Native American and Alaskan Native students but anyone from the rural communities where they reside. The 35 TCUs in the United States train future teachers, nurses, engineers, and more.

Yet, experts say TCUs are often invisible to the public or seen as institutions of lesser quality. With more flexible funding, these institutions will be better able to support their students, retain faculty, and expand programs.

Illustration: Gwenda Kaczor

Trauma and social anxiety are both increasing among college students seeking on-campus mental-health treatment, according to a new report from Pennsylvania State University’s Center for Collegiate Mental Health. 

The study examines how on-campus mental health support services can promote student success.

A widely cited Emory University study found that while 76 percent of incarcerated Americans return to prison within five years, that rate drops to 55 percent for those who take high school classes, 30 percent for those who complete vocational training, and 13.7 percent for those who complete an associate degree.

Community colleges play a key role in ensuring that people leaving prison don’t return and, instead, get onto a productive and sustainable life path.