Lani Hansen/Senior Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma– The College of the Muscogee Nation has signed an articulation agreement with Haskell Indian Nations University to help credits transfer easily for CMN students.
CMN is a two-year institution of higher education for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation emphasizing Native culture, values, language and self-determination. It’s a positive learning environment for tribal and non-tribal students as citizens of a tribal and global society. The college is dedicated to helping students achieve their academic and career goals by providing a quality environment sensitive to the rich tribal culture, language and history.
According to CMN President Dr. Monte Randall, the articulation agreement is a standard agreement between community colleges of two-year programs and four-year programs. The agreement ensures that the receiving institution with the bachelor’s degree program will receive the graduate’s entire credits from their associate’s degree.
“As a tribal college offering associates degrees our students transfer on to bachelor degree programs,” Randall stated. “While you don’t need an articulation agreement, it helps our graduates to ensure them to be able to transfer their credits from the associates degree into that institution.”
While CMN is a two-year college with certain credit hours and classes, many colleges are unable to accept those credits and by this partnership with HINU being a four-year institution the credit hours earned will be accepted.
“We will review this articulation after a year and see if there will be any modifications that we need to make,” Randall said for the term of the agreement.
The articulation agreement is now effective for students.
He added, “This is one of the first articulations between two tribal colleges, so we’re excited to help our graduates move on to that bachelor’s degree and we’re very appreciative of Haskell and all the support we’ve had from Chief’s office and National Council.”
Randall, Dean of Academic Affairs Mekko Tyner and Data Specialist Mackie Moore being Haskell alumni put the articulation agreement together and met with HINU’s president to make this possible for their students.
“We’re looking forward to hosting Haskell in the summer on campus and bringing in alumni to have an event,” Randall said.
A date has not been set yet for this event with Haskell, but during the event CMN graduates will be able to pre-enroll and get to know some faculty and staff of Haskell.
This is great news!! As a graduate of HINU I can say it has helped me so much. Hope my girls with take advantage of this. No student debt like me.