Executive Order
The signing of the Executive Order on Tribal Colleges and Universities stands out as AIHEC's most important legislative success. Initially issued on October 19, 1996 (No. 13021) by President Clinton, with President Bush signing a second on July 3, 2002 (No.13270), the Executive Order reaffirms the important role Tribal Colleges play in reservation development by directing all Federal departments and Agencies to increase their support to the colleges. The Executive Order was the result of more than three years of intensive work by college presidents and AIHEC staff.
The Executive Order is an important reminder that Tribal Colleges are constituents of the entire Federal government. In this way, the Executive Order makes the education of American Indians part of a larger national mandate, one that all leaders and policymakers have a responsibility to fulfill. Toward this end, all agencies must prepare strategic plans and issue annual reports on the progress made in collaborating with the tribal colleges, and they must also create a White House Office to monitor that progress. To oversee this work, an independent Presidential Board of Advisors was appointed. For further information, please visit the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities Web site.