The History
Fort Peck Community College is a tribally controlled community college, chartered by the Tribal Executive Board of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of Fort Peck Indian Reservation in 1978.This charter followed a 1977 Tribal Executive Board resolution creating the Fort Peck Tribal Education Department, which in turn set the foundation for establishing the college. These two actions secured the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes as national leaders for tribally controlled education and placed the college on its path to becoming an effective and successful community-based institution of higher learning.
A nine-member Board of Directors, of which seven must be enrolled members of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, governs the college. The Board of Directors is committed to advancing institutional development through critical thinking, strategic planning, and the application of resources consistent with fulfillment of its mission. This commitment, joined with the inclusion of faculty and staff in establishing policy and performance standards, and institutional assessment criteria, has resulted in a creative approach to addressing student success and community involvement.
The college is recognized for outstanding academic and vocational education offerings, innovative student services initiatives, and comprehensive community service programs. All of which began when higher education courses were initiated through extension services offered by Dawson Community College, Glendive, Montana in 1969. A cooperative agreement between the Tribal Executive Board and Miles Community College, Miles City, Montana in 1977, provided for the first reservation-based courses. This arrangement was funded through a Title III Grant for Developing Institutions.
Significant FPCC milestones include the 1987 acceptance by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Colleges for accreditation candidacy, followed by full accreditation in December of 1991. Accreditation was reaffirmed in 2023. In addition, Fort Peck Community College received The Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, also known as the 1994 Land Grant Act. 1994 Land Grant Status provides FPCC with the same benefits and recognition as the older land-grant colleges, particularly in agricultural and mechanical research, education, and extension services.
Recent years have witnessed extensive campus growth with online delivery of academic programs. In 2020, Fort Peck Community College was approved for online course delivery. Today, Fort Peck Community College offers 29 different academic programs, several of which are online for students. The institution also has several articulation agreements with the Montana State University system, the University of Montana, and other Tribal Colleges. All things considered, FPCC believes in providing academic programs and community activitiesthat that are culturally relevant and promote the beliefs, customs, and history of American Indians on the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux reservation.