About Us

Where are we located?

Gaawaabaabiganikaag Gabegikendaasowigamig Waasa Inaabidaa

Gibimiwidoomin gidinwewininaan niigaanakeyaa

White Earth Tribal and Community College

Vision Statement

We are carrying into the future the way that we were given

WETCC Mission Statement

White Earth Tribal and Community College, an Anishinaabe controlled liberal arts institution of higher education, is dedicated to educational excellence through provision of a culturally relevant curriculum, in partnership with students, staff, community, and industry.

Purpose Statements

• The college will present learning as a life–long process of discovery of knowledge embedded in the intellectual disciplines and the traditions of the Anishinaabe people.
• The college will support the self–determination of the Anishinaabe people through the preservation and promotion of their history, culture, and language.
• The college will seek to address the social, political, and economic needs of the White Earth Reservation through programs that encourage service to the community.
• The college will promote a philosophy based on the seven teachings of the Anishinaabe.

Goals and Intentions

The WETCC publicly declares its goals and intentions by providing:

• A learning environment emphasizing the application of academic concepts into real life situations
• An awareness that academic learning is a life long process
• Teaching and learning grounded in the intellectual disciplines and traditions of the Anishinaabe Nation
• Classroom opportunities to discover the nature of Indian society, its history, variation, its current and future needs
• Opportunities for students and faculty to serve as contributing memebers of the community
• The highest quality of institutional programs that meet the challenges and needs of its people
• Continuous assessment of institutional programs and students academic achievement for the purpose of continuous improvement of student learning

The overall goal of the college, through its affiliations, is to provide higher education programs appropriate for addressing the higher education needs of Anishinaabe people and others who can benefit from studies at the White Earth Tribal and Community College. These education programs include:

• Associate of Arts degree programs
• Associate of Applied Science degree programs
• Certificate programs
• Adult Education programs
• Specialized training and awareness programs in topic areas of need

Philosophy

Learning opportunities offered through the college express the Anishinaabe language, values, customs, beliefs, traditions, spirituality, and family structure, along with other concepts that are inherent in other cultures. Staff of the college include faculty, with expertise in their discipline and experienced personnel who ensure the articulation of Anishinaabe values into the framework and content of learning offered through the college. Programs provided through the college include contemporary social, economic, and technological trends from a local, Tribal, regional, national, and global perspective so that concepts of sovereignty and nationhood are preserved by the Anishinaabe people. White Earth Tribal and Community College offers a diverse system that includes workshops, distance learning, conferences, forums, field trips, research projects, and other learning opportunities to meet the unique learning needs of the population that the college serves.

Statement on the Value of Diversity

When we live the seven teachings of the Anishinaabeg, we understand and embrace the diversity of Turtle Island. We understand that we all live within the circle of life—the land, the rocks, the trees, the plant beings, the animals, the birds, the insects, all the peoples of the world—and all of us are equally important. Manaaji´idig. Therefore, WETCC encourages and embraces the diversity of all that is.

History

The White Earth Tribal and Community College is a Tribally chartered institution of higher education, which offers certificates, associate degrees, and other degree programs through affiliation agreements with other degree–granting institutions of higher education. The College is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and the National Association of Land Grant Institutions.

Beginning in 1979, Tribal members began the initiative to provide local higher education services in partnership with Moorhead State University. On September 8, 1997 the White Earth Reservation Tribal Council established the White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC).

On September 8, 1997 the White Earth Reservation Tribal Council passed Resolution #038–97–005 establishing the White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC). On October 27, 1997 the college opened its doors to 40 students enrolled in several computer courses and a business communications course.

On February 23, 1998 classes for the spring semester began with nearly 70 students enrolled in a variety of classes. The college anticipates continuous growth and demand for the services of the White Earth Tribal and Community College.

Accreditation

The White Earth Tribal and Community College achieved accreditation in October 2008.

The Campus

White Earth Tribal and Community College campus is located 22 miles north of the village of White Earth, Minnesota.  The Campus itself is made up of five buildings.

The original "Main" campus called Gaa-tazhi-bazigwiitamaagowiziyang "The place where we rose/stood up" houses the library, Adult Basic Education, a student lounge, a science classroom/lab and some of the faculty.                                                                                                                                                        *Gaa-tazhi-bazigwiitamaagowiziyang is located at 202/206 Main Street.

Ogimaawigamig administration building is where the President's Office is located at, as well as human resources, business offices, and the maintenance supervisor.  It has two large conference rooms, where WETCC's Board of Trustees meet every other month on the second Tuesday, faculty and staff hold monthly meetings, the President's Director's meeting is held weekely and at times the community uses it when requested for various conferences.                                                                                           *Ojimaawigamig is located at 102 3rd Street NE

Waadookoodaading Student Success Center, "The place where we help each other" houses the Admissions Office, Financial Aid Office, Registrar, Career Couselor/Disabilities Coordinator, Title III/Outreach/Retention Coordinator, Book Store, Art Room, and the Recruiting and Retention Director's Office.                                                                                                                                           *Waadookoodaading is located at 701 East Jefferson Avenue.

Wadiswan Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Center is one of the newest building of WETCC's campus.  It's grand opening was held May 1st of 2012.  Wadiswan is where the majority of the classes are held.  It has two computer labs, an engineering lab, satellite library, four classrooms, the welcome desk and the Cultural Learning Center.                                                                          *Wadiswan is located at 2250 College Road.  

Wellstone Building is where you can find the majority of the faculty and adjunct faculty.  It is also the location of WETCC's Academic Dean's Office.                                                                               *Wellstone is located at 124 1st Street.

WETCC's Extension Building is one of the newest buildings on campus.  Grand opening was May 1st, 2012.  The extension building hosts WETCC's science faculty and Driector of Extension, the Extension Coordinator, and the extensions Coordinator of Speical Projects.                                                   *Extension building is located at 2250 College Road.

Woodland Wisdom Confederacy Program

Woodland Wisdom is a confederacy of Tribal colleges and the University of Minnesota that have joined together in order to address chronic health problems that threaten the Woodland Tribes of Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota.

The goal is to create a regional community consciousness around how food and nutrition impacts community, family, and individual health and well–being. Woodlands Wisdom is committed to providing Native people the means to improve the quality of health and life in their communities.

Community Education

White Earth Tribal and Community College recognizes the importance of service to its community by providing educational and cultural needs to the community beyond formalized classroom instruction. The Community Education Program component provides a variety of services to the communities of the northwest region of Minnesota. Community service programs are proposed, initiated and developed to satisfy the unique and specific educational needs of the college´s service communities.

Continuing Education Services

Continuing Education provides life–long learning opportunities on campus and on an extension basis within the college´s service area. The curriculum covers a variety of subjects designed to reflect the needs of the community, including professional development, academic continuing education credit, and non–credit enrichment programs. Conferences, seminars and workshops and program education and training are also offered on a short–term basis. These are often co–sponsored with other Tribal, regional or national organizations for targeted audiences and topics.

WETCC Extension Office Program Services

The College established the White Earth Tribal and Community College Extension Office the fall of 2003. It is located at 2250 College Road.

The extension outreach at WETCC is designed to augment rather than compete with the offerings already available through the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Areas of focus include Holistic Management, Perma–culture, and Native Plant Knowledge.

In addition, the WETCC Extension program supports youth opportunities in math and sciences through continuation of the White Earth Science and Math Summer School for grades 8–12. It is designed to help improve the success of Native American students in science and math by providing experiential learning situations that incorporate Anishinaabe traditions, field experiences in the diverse natural resources of the reservation, and conventional curricular goals.

The mission of the college specifically involves outreach to all people within our communities. Extension programming here is rooted in the same philosophy. Many of the courses will be provided at little or no cost to the participant so as to assure these opportunities are fully utilized. This is beneficial to both the community and the college itself.

Equal Opportunity College

White Earth Tribal and Community College affirms the rights of all individuals to equal opportunity and treatment in education, without regard to age, race, religion, color, gender, marital status, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other considerations that are extraneous to effective performance. Providing equal opportunity is the responsibility of each staff member, and extends to all aspects of the curriculum and other activities of the College.

Students with Disabilities

WETCC is committed to providing for the needs of admitted and enrolled students with documented disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, P.L. 93–112. Students who qualify under the above law may receive the following services:

• Support, counseling and information about assessments and referral services
• Academic assistance services that may include early registration services, early syllabus availability, course selection and program advising, coursework and testing assistance and modification, and tutoring
• Advocacy services that may include assistance from a Disability Services Coordinator for students needing services, assistance in working individually with faculty and administrators, intervention procedures, and grievance procedures

Questions or requests for service should be addressed to Sue Cliff at 218–935–0417.

Data Disclaimer

White Earth Tribal and Community College obtains the right to change any information on an as needed basis. Information is up to date at the time of publishing.