Introduction Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are unique among other higher education institutions, as they have a distinctive dual mission. Like institutions in other sectors, they educate students in preparation for the workforce or further education, but they also address the priorities of their tribal communities. Those priorities can include a wide range of needs such as economic development, reduction of unemployment, and the preservation of Native culture, language, and traditions (IHEP, 2007; Rainie & Stull, 2016). This unique nature of TCUs is already widely recognized by organizations across higher education, including the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Under the center’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) coding structure, which is based on Carnegie classifications, TCUs have their own distinct classification, even from other “specialized institutions.” Not even other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) are classified separately from the other nine Carnegie classifications used in IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, 2018a).