Connection: Wellpinit Branch Campus

One of the nation’s Indian tribal colleges has a branch campus on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit. Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Mont., which serves the Flathead Indian Reservation, established a branch campus in Wellpinit five years ago.

Enrollment is 45 to 60 students per quarter, said Corky Clairmont, the SKC intercampus coordinator.

The branch campus offers culture, language, business and vocational classes. Some classes are taught in Spokane to Indian organizations.

Several part-timers and a full-time staff of four people at the Spokane Indian branch handle duties including administration, teaching, library management, financial aid and enrollment.

“Everybody has two to three jobs they’re doing,” said Dave Browneagle, the branch campus director for the past three years.

Set in an annex building next to Wellpinit’s old high school, the staff began a new language program in conjunction with Wellpinit School District this year. High school students attend daily Salish language classes at the college.

A $30 million donation by Lilly Endowment Inc. to the American Indian College Fund translated into $1 million for SKC. Officials don’t know whether any of those funds will be used at the branch campus.

Dennis Klaus, SKC vice president for business affairs, said the funds may be used as seed money for a new science building on the main campus, but no final decisions have been made.