Open Education is strongest when it reflects a diversity of voices and lived experiences. As such, we’re committed to building relationships with communities historically underrepresented in our field and why we’re so excited to welcome AIHEC as a member.
This connection didn’t begin with a formal partnership, but with a conversation that started after a chance meeting in the lobby at the Hewlett Foundation’s grantee convening. What began as an informal exchange between two professionals grew into a meaningful collaboration, shared learning, and a deeper understanding of (and soon, we hope, support for) the OE work happening at Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
We’re honored to feature this guest post by Amy Chen, AIHEC’s Open Education Program Director, highlighting the incredible work already happening across TCUs and the intentional, community-rooted approach AIHEC is bringing to the field.
By Amy Chen, Program Director for Open Education at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC)
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) is the uniting spirit of its members, 37 Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). Our TCUs are spread across the Midwest and West, from Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College in Michigan to California Tribal College in California and then from Tohono O’odham Community College by the border in Arizona to Iḷisaġvik College along the North slope of Alaska. AIHEC includes three units: Legislative Affairs, Member Services, and Sponsored Programs. Legislative Affairs represents our TCUs in Washington DC, Member Services supports them with accreditation and internal research, and Sponsored Programs runs initiatives to expand their capacity.
Open Education (OE) is a Sponsored Program at AIHEC supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. I joined AIHEC in February 2024 as the Open Education Program Director. In this role, I traveled to Atlanta to participate in the Hewlett Foundation’s convening that May, where I met Heather Blicher, Director of the Community College Consortium for OER (CCCOER), a community of practice within Open Education Global (OEGlobal). Our connection during and after the convening sparked conversations about how a collaboration between AIHEC and CCCOER could meaningfully support both of our communities. One of Heather’s goals is to bring new voices and perspectives into CCCOER’s work, and this partnership reflects that shared commitment. Since then, AIHEC has joined OEGlobal, and I now serve on CCCOER’s committee for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) where I represent the perspectives of Native people from the position of a native Ally based in Iowa.
Understanding Open Education at TCUs
The first step for the OE program at AIHEC was to understand the current landscape of OE at TCUs. A Fall 2024 study revealed that:
- Two TCU Presidents had already publicly committed their institutions to using OER whenever possible.
- Current President Michael Oltrogge at Nebraska Indian Community College
- Former President Paul Robertson at Tohono O’odham Community College
- At least 66 OE textbooks are being used. This data was collected from campus bookstores, so it’s likely more OER have been adopted.
- The average cost of a TCU textbook is well below the national average at two-year institutions, a positive reflection of how attuned TCUs are to the needs of their students
- $64 – average cost of a TCU textbook
- $22 – average cost of a book for Native Studies courses
Growing Capacity
With a better understanding of the current state of Open Education at TCUs, the AIHEC OE Program shifted to supporting individual TCUs as they grow their OE capabilities. A total of seven TCUs, divided into 2 cohorts, will receive subawards totaling about $20,000. These institutions can use the funds in support of initiatives like course labeling, Open Education Network (OEN) librarian certifications, and content development. The Fall 2025 cohort will consist of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College and Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College. In Spring 2026, a second cohort of five more TCUs will be added. The curricula designed as a result of the AIHEC OE Program will feature both subject and cultural content and will be placed on AIHEC’s OER Commons Hub.
As AIHEC’s open education program progresses, we look forward to being active and collaborative members of CCCOER. We’re committed to sharing the perspectives of American Indians and Alaska Natives and ensuring that the unique insights and educational needs of Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are shared with the CCCOER community.
Amy Hildreth Chen is the Program Director for Open Education at AIHEC. A non-Native based in Iowa, Amy previously worked in a variety of capacities, including as a medical editor, project manager, and academic librarian. Amy received her PhD in English from Emory University in 2013 and is the author of two books.