Tribal college students at Sacramento State drop out, face housing issues. Were they failed?
Shanoah Platero, a member of Navajo Nation, came to California Tribal College at Sacramento State with the promise of an opportunity.
She was recruited by the tribal college’s athletics director and would attend the institution with financial assistance for tuition and housing, she said. Her rent would be $200 a month at Academy 65, an apartment complex near campus. Her tuition would be on a $40 credit per unit, something she could afford with her financial aid package. She would even get a spot on the women’s basketball and cross country team.
She and her mom drove 18 hours from Chi Chil Tah, New Mexico, to Sacramento over the summer, so she could start at California Tribal College. But upon arriving at Sacramento State, she got a call.
Housing was not prepared, forcing her to live in a hotel for a week, she said. And when her room was set, rent wouldn’t be $200 a month, but $800 instead. Tuition at the college wasn’t on a cost per unit, but on a total costs operation model. And, there were no tryouts for any sports team.
Platero broke down, upset by the news. There was no way she could afford the school.
“I came all the way just for nothing,” Platero said. “It was a tough situation for me. I really wanted to be a part of California Tribal College.”
Platero later turned back and went home to her reservation.
“I felt so emotional that day. I just couldn’t take it,” Platero said.
California Tribal College, a tribal institution that partnered with Sacramento State in the spring, lost students after the college failed to live up to the promises it made to its first cohort, like permanent housing and other financial support, students say. Sacramento State is assisting California Tribal College in the accreditation process, so it can operate as its own independent institution.
Juliet Maestas, the president of California Tribal College, called these promises “incentives.” She said the Sacramento State was aware of what “incentives” were being offered by the tribal college, like “in house scholarships” and a budget for housing that is up to a “certain amount.”
Sacramento State declined to comment. A university spokesperson said California Tribal College is not part of the university and “only has a space agreement.”
In the past, Sacramento State has considered California Tribal College a “partner” in boosting Native American student success rates, and have described themselves as a mentor to the upcoming institution. When the two colleges joined forces in April 2024, the university called it a “team-up.” Sacramento State said in a news release. Maestas added that the tribal college was assigned one person to offer guidance and help with the process launching its first cohort.
Last week, in the Assembly Chambers at the Capitol, Sacramento State announced its Native American College. Led by longtime ethnic studies professor and member of Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, Annette Reed, the goal of this college is to offer Native American students a tribal-focused education, a style similar to those at tribal colleges.
After leaving Sacramento, Platero went to attend Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint, New Mexico, where she studies nursing and plays for Lady Skyhawks, the university’s women’s basketball team.
“I was disappointed in the broken promises by Sacramento State,” Platero said.
Obstacles for California Tribal College’s first cohort
Obstacles began when students started registering through the California State University system too late or were ineligible altogether, said Maestas, who is Hupa and Yurok.
“We did foresee that there (were) going to be students that were not going to be eligible,” Maestas said. “So many students were lacking maybe a class or maybe just trying to raise their GPA to be CSU eligible.”
About 50 Native students traveled to Sacramento to attend California Tribal College, according to The State Hornet, the university’s student-led newspaper. Other students like Platero, came from across the country, from tribal nations in states like Oklahoma and North Dakota. Half of its students left. Many because the tribal college didn’t keep its promises, Platero said.
Currently, 26 students associated with California Tribal College go to Sacramento State, with the other four at a community college, Maestas said.
When asked about housing and other issues within the first cohort, Maestas said she couldn’t clarify because “each student feels differently about housing, about their classes, about their expectations and experience.”
In regards to the spots on sports teams, Maestas said California Tribal College and Sacramento State were trying to start a Native sports team, but were allegedly denied by the National Collegiate Athletics Association because the tribal college isn’t accredited. She called the situation “very unfortunate.” Other students had left due to financial restraints, Maestas said.
Native students often struggle with pursuing, and succeeding in higher education, because of multiple factors. They have the lowest college-going rate out of any ethnicity in California and have difficulty in degree attainment. Being able to afford college is an obstacle for Native students, especially those coming from reservations. For example, the median income for Navajo Nation, the largest tribal community in the United States, is $26,862, with 40% of Navajo Nation citizens living under the poverty line, according to the Lumina Foundation.
Challenges for Native college students
California Tribal College said they are trying to make it up to the students who attempted to attend in the fall, saying they’re aiming to raise 110% of the cost for every student. So far, they’ve dispersed $20,000 to its remaining students through scholarships, the State Hornet reported.
Maestas added that some students saw their reduced rent come to fruition, but that housing is “handled” by Sacramento State. Some students saw reduced tuition through the Western Undergraduate Exchange program, which was not administered by the tribal college, she explained.
At Sacramento State, Native students were the ethnicity group that felt the least welcome, according to a survey shared at the Faculty Senate meeting where California Tribal College officially partnered with the university. Native students make up less than 1% of the university’s 30,000-student body, according to enrollment figures from the last spring semester.
The partnership between California Tribal College sought to “help Native American students succeed in higher education,” Sacramento State’s news release stated.
