President's Advisory Committee on Indigenous Initiatives

Established: April 27, 2013
Revised: V5 approved - April 13, 2022 

Background

It has been said that “Education is the new buffalo” and, as such, the survival and persistence of the Indigenous Peoples in Canada is dependent upon an accessible educational system that responds to the unique needs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit learners (Stonechild, 2006).  Despite recent improvements in the engagement of Indigenous learners and scholars, social, financial and cultural barriers persist.  According to Statistics Canada (2021), between 2016 and 2021, the Indigenous population grew by 9.4%, compared to the 5.3% for the non-Indigenous population for the same period. Yet, according to the 2021 census, only 12.9% of Indigenous peoples in Canada have attained a university degree, compared to 33.8% of the non-Indigenous population (Statistics Canada, 2021). 

Increasing First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples access to post-secondary education is a complex issue.  Since the establishment of the Indigenous Student Centre (ISC; formerly, the Aboriginal Resource Centre) in 2003, the University of Guelph has actively engaged with Indigenous communities to build collaborative partnerships, raise awareness of the benefits of post-secondary education, identify barriers to access, and promote the University as a viable option for First Nations, Inuit and Métis learners.  In fact, over this period, Indigenous enrolment at the University has increased by 400% and there is every indication that this trend will continue. In addition, the ISC has implemented many support programs aimed at ensuring that Indigenous learners are successful in meeting their academic goals.

Likewise, an increasing number of faculty, on their own initiative, are taking innovative approaches to integrate First Nations, Inuit and Métis themes within course content, class projects, and research.  Graduate students are undertaking research studies with Indigenous communities.  Each year, the ISC delivers educational programming designed to raise awareness of First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures, history, worldviews and emerging trends in Indigenous affairs within the campus and local community.  However, most of these activities occur in isolation and without the benefit of a coordinated strategy that aims to identify gaps, eliminate barriers, strengthen relationships, and highlight successes. 

Committee Responsibilities

In this spirit, the University of Guelph has established the President’s Advisory Committee on Indigenous Initiatives (PACII) to identify, develop, and advance strategic institutional priorities that will:

• promote greater awareness and recognition of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, and foster reconciliation within our institution and the broader community;
• improve access to and support the participation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in post-secondary education, including undergraduate and graduate academic programs, and the workforce (staff and faculty);
• enrich the curriculum and pedagogy through greater inclusion of First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures, knowledges, languages and worldviews within academic programs;
• further innovative research based on ethical and reciprocal relationships;
• foster and sustain relationships for meaningful engagement between the University and Indigenous communities; and
• help to identify and secure funding to support Indigenous learners, and institutional initiatives that promote greater engagement of First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures, knowledges, languages and worldviews and work towards reconciliation.

Membership

For the purposes of this committee, the term Indigenous is used as a collective name for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.  Attention should be paid to ensure there is diverse representation from First Nations, Inuit and Métis persons, and Indigenous communities/organizations with working Memorandums of Understanding across the committee and all ad-hoc committees.

• President, or designate
• Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
• Associate Dean Academic
• Associate Vice-President (Research)
• Vice-Provost (Student Affairs)
• Manager, Indigenous Student Centre
• Assistant Vice-President (Indigenous Initiatives)
• First Nations, Métis or Inuit Faculty (2) (staggered three-year term)
• First Nations, Métis or Inuit Students (2): one undergraduate and one graduate student (three-year term)
• First Nations, Métis or Inuit Community Members (4) (three-year term). To include:
  • Member of the Mississaugas of the Credit
  • Member of Six Nations of the Grand River
  • Métis citizen 

All three-year terms shall be renewable.

Committee Supports

The following individuals will support the needs of the committee, as required:

• Assistant Vice-President (Graduate Studies)
• Assistant Vice-President (Institutional Analysis & Research)
• Registrar
• Indigenous Student Centre Staff
• Indigenous Initiatives Staff

Meetings

The committee will normally meet two times annually.  The committee will form ad-hoc committees as required. 

Formal minutes will not be taken. Notes will document the key points discussed, but to encourage open and forthright discussions, the notes will not attribute comments to specific individuals.

References

Statistics Canada (2023). Canada’s Indigenous Population. Ottawa, Ontario. 

Statistics Canada (2023). Postsecondary educational attainment and labour market outcomes among Indigenous peoples in Canada. Ottawa, Ontario. 

Stonechild, B. (2006). The New Buffalo: The Struggle for Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education in Canada. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press