Federal Highway Administration

Fiscal Year 2004 Annual Federal Performance Report
On Executive Agency Actions to Assist Tribal Colleges and Universities

Executive Summary

This report outlines strategies that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has implemented to increase the participation of Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) in federally sponsored programs.

The goals and measurable objectives that the FHWA sought to achieve during FY 2004 were to: (1) award highway research, development and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements to TCUs; (2) increase the number of TCU students pursuing transportation careers by participating in programs such as the Dwight David Eisenhower Fellowship Program and maintaining and expanding the number of TCUs sponsoring a Summer Transportation Institute; and (3) establish a partnership in every State or Territory where a TCU is located. Below are brief descriptions of the goals and measurable objectives for Fiscal Year 2004.

Description of Goal and Measurable Objectives

#1: Increase the number of highway research, development and technology contracts, grants and cooperative agreements awarded to TCUs

In view of the FHWA's commitment to ensure greater participation by TCUs in highway research, development, and technology contracts and grants, some of the activities under this category include the following:

• Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) - The purpose of the TTAP Program is to provide the transfer of highway technology and technical assistance to rural and local governments. The TTAP centers conduct a variety of activities that include a communication center, which links local highway agencies, tribal governments, States, universities, and the Federal Government. The centers also assist the entities served by providing information and training on road operations and maintenance.

  Fiscal Year	College/University	Activity	Award
  2004	North Dakota State University	TTAP	$140,000

   

• Entrepreneurial Development Institutes (EDI) - The EDI Program provides training and technical assistance to disadvantaged businesses to enhance their capability to obtain highway construction and related contracts.

  Fiscal Year	College/University	Activity	Award
  2004	University of North Carolina @ Pembroke	Truckers EDI Program	$19,488

#2: Increase the number of TCU students pursuing transportation careers by participating in programs such as the Dwight David Eisenhower Fellowship Program; and maintain/expand the number of TCUs sponsoring a Summer Transportation Institute

The FHWA is also committed to increasing the number of TCU students pursuing transportation careers. Noted below are programs, which provide such.

• Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program - This program provides grants to encourage the pursuit of transportation education and research among university students and select faculty. For FY 2004, FHWA administered one Eisenhower Fellowship to the following TCU:

  Fiscal Year	Colleges/Universities	Activity	Award
  2004	Lac Courte Orielles Ojibwa Community College	Fellowship	$12,047

   

• Student Tuition Assistance, Scholarships, and Other Aid - Federal funds awarded to an institution of higher education for students or awarded directly to students for payment of such charges as tuition and room and board.

  Fiscal Year	Colleges/Universities	Activity	Award
  2004	Texas Tech University	Grant Tuition	$4,389
  2004	Salish Kootenai College	Tuition Assistance - Training for the Operation/Maintenance of highway-related construction equipment	$191,151

   

• National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI)- This 4 to 5-week program is designed to encourage and motivate youth to pursue transportation careers. In FY 2004, FHWA awarded $2,000,000 to the National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) Program and had 44 institutions serve as host sites. Of the 44 institutions serving as host sites, seven were TCUs.1

  The following table indicates the number of TCUs, and the total number of colleges/ universities, and students who participated in the NSTI program for FYs 2003 and 2004.

  Fiscal Year	Number of Colleges/Universities	Number of TCUs	Number of Students
  2003	40	6	700
  2004	44	7	800

   

#3: Establish a partnership in every State or Territory where a TCU is located

The goal of the partnerships is to forge better, ongoing relationships with each TCU. Since 1991, the FHWA has signed partnership agreements with seven TCUs. It is through these agreements that TCUs are provided technical assistance, curriculum development, and exchanges of staff and resources.

FY Annual Performance Awards

In FY 2003, TCUs were awarded $322,180, compared to $367,075 awarded in FY 2004. This is an increase of $44,895.

Summary

The FHWA TCU program goals and objectives outlined above were developed to meet the requirement of the Executive Order 13270. Moreover, they support the Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program (GAMTTFP). The GAMTTFP is a National education initiative built on partnerships with the transportation and education communities.

In FY 2004, a total of 82 Eisenhower Fellowships were provided to students at Minority Institutions of Higher Education compared to 65 in FY 2003, which is a 26% increase, and with one fellowship to a TCU.

For FY 2005, the FHWA will continue to place additional emphasis on increasing the number of fellowship awards to Tribal College students.

The Salish Kootenai College received $191,151, to train individuals in the operation and maintenance of highway-related construction equipment, an increase of $26,971 in FY 2004.

To date, the FHWA has established partnerships with seven Tribal Colleges. Specifically, the report overall shows that the FHWA continues to focus on expanding opportunities for TCUs in three categories -- Partnerships, Human Resources, and Grants and Contracts.

In closing, the FHWA continues to publicize the successes and awards of the Summer Transportation Institutes, Cooperative Education efforts, Fellowships, and other forms of student employment in newsletters, annual reports and its website.

1 College of Menominee Nation, Fond Du Lac Tribal & Community College, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, University of Alaska Anchorage. University of Missouri Rolla, White Earth Tribal and Community College, and Lac Courte Ojibwa Orielles Community College

SUMMARY OF FY04 AGENCY AWARDS BY CATEGORY TO
TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

1. Agency/Organization Federal Highway Administration

2. Name, Title, Phone, Fax, and email address of agency representative preparing report:

Frederick D. Isler - Associate Administrator for Civil Rights

Phone: 202-366-0693 Fax: 202-366-1599

E-Mail: FrederickD.Isler@fhwa.dot.gov

3. FY-04 Total Funding for all institutions of higher education (IHE): $106,633,936

Mary E. Peters, Administrator		February 15, 2005
Agency Head (Typed)	Agency Head (Signature)	Date

[1] Total in #5 includes monies for the University of North Carolina @ Pembroke ($19,488) & North Dakota State University ($140,000) - these are TCUs which are not included on listing.

[2] Part of #8's total includes money for the Texas Technology University ($4,389) - a TCU not included on listing.

Chart: Summary of FY04 Agency Awards to Individual Tribal Colleges and Universities