Salish Kootenai College Becomes Séliš Ksanka Ql̓ispé University
Current and prospective students keep the same tuition and enrollment terms while the college seeks accreditor approval for the new name.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Higher Education
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Salish Kootenai College will rebrand as Séliš Ksanka Ql̓ispé University, a change its board of directors approved in November 2025 and Munson announced on Oct. 30. The name change does not affect currently enrolled students or tuition rates.
Why it matters
For Montana students and families, the change alters the name on the diploma and the institution's public identity, not the cost or terms of study. The board framed the decision as recognizing all the tribes of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation and reflecting the institution's growth beyond a community college.
Tuition rates will not change because of the rename, and currently enrolled students are not affected. The college will submit accreditation documentation to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities next month, with approval expected in about six months.
The players
Salish Kootenai College
A tribally affiliated public college in Pablo, Montana, which began as Salish Kootenai Community College and has offered bachelor's and master's degrees.
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
The regional accreditor whose approval the college needs before the new university name is officially recognized.
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation
The tribal nation whose tribes the new name is intended to recognize, and which governs the college's tribal affiliation.
The details
The college's board made the decision in November 2025, and the college will now submit documentation to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, its accreditor, next month. Because the institution already offers bachelor's and master's degrees and conducts research, the accreditor's review is the step that formally aligns the new university name with its degree-granting status. The rebrand will roll out in phases rather than all at once, and the college plans to seek private funding for costly signage and materials. The new name is slated to take effect next fall, during the institution's 50th anniversary celebration.
Timeline
November 2025: Board of directors votes to change the college's name.
Oct. 30: Munson announces the name change publicly.
Next month: College submits accreditation documentation to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Next fall: The new name takes effect during the 50th anniversary celebration.
Education Landscape
Montana's tribal colleges have expanded their degree offerings over recent decades, and this rename marks a formal step in that growth. The change comes as the college reaches its 50th anniversary and seeks to match the four-year scope it already delivers.
If you are currently enrolled or planning to apply, your tuition, degree requirements, and aid eligibility stay the same, so the rename does not change what you pay or need to file. Prospective students may want to ask the admissions or financial-aid office how the new name will appear on future transcripts and diplomas.
The takeaway
A rename like this changes the institution's identity without changing what students pay or how their current credits transfer. Anyone with questions about transcripts or aid can confirm details directly with the college's financial-aid office.
What happens next
The college will submit its accreditation documentation to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities next month, and the new name is slated to take effect next fall during the 50th anniversary celebration.
Further reading
For context on how tribal colleges fit into the state's broader options, explore Higher Education coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Inter Lake.
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