SAN MARCOS -- A new focus on recruiting Native American students to campus and a limited number of helping hands has moved a Cal State San Marcos group to end an 11-year tradition -- its annual October Pow Wow.

"We are in the process of regrouping our efforts to bring Native American students to campus rather than a marketing showpiece," said Kathryn LaFevers Evans, president of the American Indian Student Alliance, which has organized the popular event since 2000.

With only 10 members, the alliance is concentrating on reaching out to the local Native American community with the hopes of building the university's Native American population. Currently, 58 Native American students attend classes at the college, including one Luiseno Indian who will graduate in May, said Bonnie Biggs, a retired library administrator and tribal liaison.

"Originally, we started the Pow Wow (in 1992) to draw the local native community to the campus and say to them, this is your university and we celebrate your culture," Biggs said. "We are now in the process of finding ways to do a better job recruiting native students to campus."

One of the ways they are doing that is by studying the California Cultural Awareness Conference, a one-week event that takes place every September at Cal State San Bernardino. Next month, Biggs and members of the alliance will travel to the campus to learn more about the program.

John Futch, director of cultural and community development for the Santos Manuel Student Union at the San Bernardino campus, has been organizing the event since 1999. He said the week includes educating local teachers about California American Indian tribes and inviting more than 2,000 students from San Bernardino schools to spend time on the campus learning about tribal history, culture and government.

All the classes are taught by Native American scholars and tribal members, Futch said.

"We have reached over 15,000 students in five years through this program where they learn about California Indians," he said.

The week culminates with California Native American Day -- the fourth Friday in September -- with an evening event in which members from various California tribes gather for music and dancing.

With nine Native American reservations located close to the university, Biggs said Cal State San Marcos owes it to the native community to reach out and provide services.

"It's time we bring the university to them," Biggs said. "We are 15 years old now and we have been building the infrastructure of who we are. Now it's time to put the skin on the bones and focus a little more outward."

In September, university presidents from Cal State San Marcos, Palomar College and San Diego State University sponsored "Prez to the Rez," where they met with local tribal leaders at the Pauma Reservation to identify their needs and brainstorm on ways to encourage Native Americans to attend college.

Biggs said it was an eye-opening experience.

"I have found out that there is a critical need for outreach," she said. "Many (Native American) students make decisions on college by third or fourth grade. There is also a need for cultural preservation, especially when it comes to native languages. Third, there is a need for online or onsite education (on the reservations)."

Biggs said in the future the university hopes to include a Center for the Preservation of Indigenous Cultures and a major to accompany the minor the university currently offers in native studies.

For now, those who made a tradition out of attending the Pow Wow can content themselves with a series of American Indian films being shown at the university through November. The film series features documentaries by Kifaru Productions, a Malibu-based, independent video production company that creates films dealing with contemporary indigenous issues.

The first film, "A Seat at the Table: Struggling for American Indian Religious Freedom," was shown on Oct. 21 and attracted more than 50 people, LaFevers Evans said.

The series is sponsored by the Cal State San Marcos Arts and Lecture Committee and admission is free. For more information, call (760) 750-4366 or visit www.csusm.edu.

Oct. 28 - 4 p.m.

"Wiping the Tears of Seven Generations" -- The documentary of the Bigfoot Memorial Ride

ArtsBuilding, Room 240

Nov. 4 - 7:30 p.m.

"Peyote Road" -- Ancient religion in contemporary crisis

Clarke Field House/University Student Union, Room 113

Nov. 11 - 7:30 p.m.

"Your Humble Serpent" -- The wisdom of Reuben Snake

Clarke Field House/University Student Union, Room 113

Nov. 18 - 7:30 p.m.

"Red Road to Sobriety" -- The contemporary Native American sobriety movement

Clarke Field House/University Student Union, Room 113