The White House
  
                   Office of the Press Secretary
  
  _______________________________________________________________
  
  For Immediate Release    	     	       October 21, 1996
  
  
                          Executive Order
  
                           - - - - - - -
  
                  Tribal Colleges And Universities
  
  
       By the authority vested in me as President by the 
  Constitution and laws of the United States of America, 
  in reaffirmation of the special relationship of the Federal 
  Government to American Indians and Alaska Natives, and, for 
  the purposes of helping to: (a) ensure that tribal colleges 
  and universities are more fully recognized as accredited 
  institutions, have access to the opportunities afforded other 
  institutions, and have Federal resources committed to them on a 
  continuing basis; (b) establish a mechanism that will increase 
  accessibility of Federal resources for tribal colleges and 
  universities in tribal communities; (c) promote access to high- 
  quality educational opportunity for economically disadvantaged 
  students; (d) promote the preservation and the revitalization 
  of American Indian and Alaska Native languages and cultural 
  traditions; (e) explore innovative approaches to better link 
  tribal colleges with early childhood, elementary, and secondary 
  education programs; and (f) support the National Education Goals 
  (20 U.S.C. 5812), it is hereby ordered as follows:
  
       Section 1.  Definition of Tribal Colleges and Universities.  
  Tribal colleges and universities ("tribal colleges") are those 
  institutions cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational 
  Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), any other 
  institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally 
  Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, (25 U.S.C. 
  1801 et seq.), and Navajo Community College, authorized in the 
  Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978, Public 
  Law 95-471, title Ii (25 U.S.C. 640a note).
  
       Sec. 2.  Board of Advisors.  (a)  Establishment.  
  There shall be established in the Department of Education 
  a Presidential advisory committee entitled the President's 
  Board of Advisors on Tribal Colleges and Universities ("Board").  
  Notwithstanding the provisions of any other Executive order, the 
  responsibilities of the President under the Federal Advisory 
  Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), with respect to 
  the Board, shall be performed by the Secretary of Education 
  ("Secretary"), in accordance with the guidelines and procedures 
  established by the Administrator of General Services.
  
       (b)  Composition.  The Board shall consist of not more 
  than 15 Members who shall be appointed by the President.  The 
  Board shall include representatives of tribal colleges.  The 
  Board may also include representatives of the higher, early 
  childhood, elementary, and secondary education communities; 
  tribal officials; health, business, and financial institutions; 
  private foundations; and such other persons as the President 
  deems appropriate.  Members of the Board will serve terms of 
  2 years and may be reappointed to additional terms.  A Member 
  may continue to serve until his or her successor is appointed.  
  In the event a Member fails to serve a full term, an individual 
  appointed to replace that Member will serve the remainder of 
  that term.  All terms will expire upon the termination of the 
  Board.

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       (c)  Role of Board.  The Board shall provide advice 
  regarding the progress made by Federal agencies toward 
  fulfilling the purposes and objectives of this order.  The 
  Board shall also provide recommendations to the President 
  and the Secretary at least annually on ways tribal colleges 
  can:
  
       	    (1)  utilize long-term development, endowment 
            building, and master planning to strengthen 
            institutional viability;
  
       	    (2)  utilize the Federal and private sector to improve 
            financial management and security, obtain private 
            sector funding support, and expand and complement 
            Federal education initiatives;
  
       	    (3)  develop institutional capacity through the use 
            of new and emerging technologies offered by both 
            the Federal and private sectors;
       	    
       	    (4)  enhance physical infrastructure to facilitate 
            more efficient operation and effective recruitment 
            and retention of students and faculty; and
  
       	    (5)  help achieve National Education Goals and meet 
            other high standards of education accomplishment.
  
       (d)  Scheduled Meetings.  The Board shall meet at least 
  annually to provide advice and consultation on tribal colleges 
  and relevant Federal and private sector activities, and to 
  transmit reports and present recommendations.
  
       Sec. 3.  Office of White House Initiative.  There shall 
  be established in the Department of Education the White House 
  Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities ("Initiative").  
  The Initiative shall be authorized to:  (a) provide the staff 
  support for the Board;
  
       (b) assist the Secretary in the role of liaison between 
  the executive branch and tribal colleges;
  
       (c) serve the Secretary in carrying out the Secretary's 
  responsibilities under this order; and
  
       (d) utilize the services, personnel, information, 
  and facilities of other Federal, State, tribal, and local 
  agencies with their consent, and with or without reimbursement, 
  consistent with applicable law.  To the extent permitted by 
  law and regulations, each Federal agency shall cooperate in 
  providing resources, including personnel detailed to the 
  Initiative, to meet the objectives of the order.
  
       Sec. 4.  Department and Agency Participation.  Each 
  participating executive department and agency (hereinafter 
  collectively referred to as "agency"), as determined by the 
  Secretary, shall appoint a senior official, who is a full-time 
  officer of the Federal Government and who is responsible for 
  management or program administration, to serve as liaison to 
  the White House Initiative.  The official shall report directly 
  to the agency head, or agency representative, on agency activity 
  under this order and serve as liaison to the White House 
  Initiative.  To the extent permitted by law and regulation, 
  each agency shall provide appropriate information in readily 
  available formats requested by the White House Initiative staff 
  pursuant to this order.
  

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       Sec. 5.  Five-Year Federal Plan.  (a)  Content.  Each 
  agency shall, in collaboration with tribal colleges, develop 
  and document a Five-Year Plan of the agency's efforts to fulfill 
  the purpose of this order.  These Five-Year Plans shall include 
  annual performance indicators and appropriate measurable 
  objectives for the agency.  The plans shall address among 
  other relevant issues: 
  
       (1)  barriers impeding the access of tribal colleges to 
  funding opportunities and to participation in Federal programs, 
  and ways to eliminate the barriers;
  
       (2)  technical assistance and information that will be made 
  available to tribal colleges regarding the program activities 
  of the agency and the preparation of applications or proposals 
  for grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts; and
  
       (3)  an annual goal for agency funds to be awarded to 
  tribally controlled colleges and universities in:
  
       	    (A) grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and 
            procurement; 
  
       	    (B) related excess property-type acquisitions 
            under various authorities such as section 923 of 
            the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act 
            of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 2206a) and the Federal Property and 
            Administrative Services Act of 1949, chapter 288, 
            63 Stat. 377 (codified as described at 40 U.S.C. 471 
            note); and
  
       	    (C) the transfer of excess and surplus Federal 
            computer equipment under Executive Order 12999. 
  
       In developing the Five-Year Plans required by this 
  order, agencies shall strive to include tribal colleges 
  in all aspects and activities related to the attainment of 
  the participation goals described in Executive Order 12928, 
  "Promoting Procurement with Small Businesses Owned and 
  Controlled by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged 
  Individuals, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 
  and Minority Institutions."  The Plans may also emphasize 
  access to high-quality educational opportunity for economically 
  disadvantaged Indian students; the preservation and 
  revitalization of American Indian and Alaska Native languages 
  and cultural traditions; innovative approaches to better link 
  tribal colleges with early childhood, elementary, and secondary 
  education programs; and the National Education Goals.
  
       (b) Submission.  Each agency shall submit its Five-Year 
  Plan to the White House Initiative Office.  In consultation with 
  the Board, the White House Initiative Office shall then review 
  these Five-Year Plans and develop an integrated Five-Year Plan 
  for Assistance to Tribal Colleges, which the Secretary shall 
  review and submit to the President.  The Five-Year Plan for 
  Assistance to Tribal Colleges may be revised within the 5-year 
  period.
  
       (c) Annual Performance Reports.  Each agency shall submit 
  to the White House Initiative Office an Annual Performance 
  Report that shall measure each agency's performance against the 
  objectives set forth in its Five-Year Plan.  In consultation 
  with the Board, the White House Initiative Office shall review 
  and combine Annual Performance Reports into one annual report, 
  which shall be submitted to the Secretary for review, in 
  consultation with the Office of Management and Budget.
  

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       Sec. 6.  Private Sector.  In cooperation with the Board, 
  the White House Initiative Office shall encourage the private 
  sector to assist tribal colleges through increased use of such 
  strategies as:  (a) matching funds to support increased 
  endowments;
  
       (b) developing expertise and more effective ways to manage 
  finance, improve information systems, build facilities, and 
  improve course offerings; and
  
       (c) increasing resources for and training of faculty.
  
       Sec. 7.  Termination.  The Board shall terminate 2 years 
  after the date of this Executive order unless the Board is 
  renewed by the President prior to the end of that 2-year period.
  
       Sec. 8.  Administration.  (a) Compensation.  Members of the 
  Board shall serve without compensation, but shall be allowed 
  travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as 
  authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in 
  Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707).  
  
       (b) Funding.  The Board and the Initiative shall be funded 
  by the Department of Education.
  
       (c) Administrative Support.  The Department of Education 
  shall provide appropriate administrative services and staff 
  support for the Board and the Initiative.  With the consent 
  of the Department of Education, other agencies participating 
  in the Initiative shall provide administrative support to 
  the White House Initiative Office consistent with statutory 
  authority and shall make use of section 112 of title 3, 
  United States Code, to detail agency employees to the extent 
  permitted by law.  The Board and the White House Initiative 
  Office shall have a core staff and shall be supported at 
  appropriate levels.
  
  
       	    	      	   	     William J. Clinton
  
  
  
  The White House,
      October 19, 1996.