One university, two universes : the emergence of Alaska native political leadership and the provision of higher education, 1972-85

This study explores the relationships between the Alaska Native leadership, its interests in and impacts on higher education in Alaska, and the ways in which the University of Alaska responded to Alaska Native educational needs and initiatives, especially during the period from 1972 and 1985. The major question explored is why and how the University of Alaska system failed to adequately address the educational needs of Alaska Natives, especially given the level of political acumen of the Alaska Native leadership, their awareness of the importance of higher education as a means to control the land base “acquired” through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the mission statements of the University concerning the education of Alaska Natives, and the abundance of petroleum dollars available to the University during that period. While the Alaska Native leadership was requesting that “appropriate” educational programs be designed and delivered to rural Alaska Native students, the University of Alaska’s response to these requests took the form of structural changes within the institution, rather than substantive change in the content of educational programs. The study demonstrates that the discrepancy between Alaska Native requests for substantive educational change and University of Alaska responses in the form of structural alterations is attributable, in large part, to the opposing world views of the two sets of actors, and thus to different perceptions of the nature and role of education in general.Education, Faculty ofEducational Studies (EDST), Department ofGraduat