At the January 8-9 Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) meeting, the Commission granted candidacy/preaccreditation status to California Indian Nations College (CINC). According to the ACCJC Accreditation Handbook:
The Commission only grants candidacy status to eligible institutions that are likely to successfully obtain initial accreditation and sustain compliance with Eligibility Requirements, Accreditation Standards, and Commission policies. ACCJC’s rigorous application process involves a comprehensive self-evaluation, site visit, and preparation of a Teach-Out Plan… All credits and degrees earned and issued by an institution or program holding candidacy status are considered by the U.S. Department of Education to be from an accredited institution or program.
Candidacy for accreditation is an historic step in a state that is home to one-fifth of all federally recognized Tribes plus many more unrecognized Tribes. According to the latest census data, approximately 1.4 million Californians identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with another ethnic group. Yet California has not had an accredited tribal college or university in decades, despite the overwhelming need. CINC was granted Eligibility to Apply for Candidacy in May 2023 and submitted the self-evaluation as part of the Application for Candidacy in Summer 2024, followed by a site visit on October 7-8, 2024. During the visit, the peer review team evaluated CINC for compliance with ACCJC and the Department of Education standards and policies.
CINC President & CEO, Celeste R. Townsend (Guidutikad Paiute, Fort Bidwell Indian Community), stated, “CINC was created for local and tribal communities to empower students with solid steppingstones for their future. Having an accredited tribal college in the State of California has been a lifelong dream for many; and we are beyond blessed to reach this stage. This was only possible because Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians believed in us…in the CINC mission. They chartered CINC and trusted our devotion toward the establishment of a higher learning institution; and they blessed us with nine million dollars to get the college started.”
The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians chartered CINC in 2017 and the College first offered classes in partnership with the University of California, Riverside University Extension in Fall 2018. Starting in Spring 2019, CINC entered into an MOA with College of the Desert to offer accredited classes through dual enrollment. In addition to the $9 million in seed money from the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, the State of California provided one-time funding of $5 million in Fall of 2022 to assist CINC in reaching accreditation. Although a public institution that serves California Native and non-Native students, CINC does not currently receive ongoing state or federal funding. Candidacy will enable CINC to further develop culturally responsive academic and vocational programs and degrees that support its unique mission and the needs of the communities it serves.
The Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER), Team Report, the Teach-Out Plan, and January 21, 2025 letter are available on the CINC website. For more information, please visit https://accjc.org/
About California Indian Nations College
California Indian Nations College (CINC) is a public, 501(c)(3) non-profit, two-year tribal college chartered by the TwentyNine Palms Band of Mission Indians. CINC serves the region with culturally responsive college classes, personalized student support and individualized advising and mentoring through the Path Breakers Program, and community services that includes a high school diploma program in partnership with Coachella Valley Adult School. As of Spring 2025, almost 500 students from over 90 Tribes have matriculated at CINC. CINC graduates have transferred to four-year institutions like UCLA, UCR, and CSUSB to complete undergraduate and graduate degrees. Others have entered the workforce with the intention of serving their communities. The need for tribal colleges and universities is overwhelming. American Indian students continue to face incredible hurdles in Western institutions. The California high school graduation rate for American Indians is 11.4% lower than the overall rate and the college-going rate is 14.4% lower than the overall rate. CSU and UC graduation rates are also over 11% lower than the overall graduation rates. American Indians are often the most underserved demographic in California. Students who attend a tribal college, however, are four times more likely to complete their bachelor’s degree. To learn more about California Indian Nations College or to support its mission and work, call 760-933-9833 or visit www.cincollege.org. You can also follow California Indian Nations College on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CINCollege/ and on X (formerly Twitter) at @CINCollege.
