SFU
S.12-43
OFFICE OFTHE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AND PROVOST
8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC
TEL: 778.782.3925
vpacad@sfu.ca
Canada V5A 1S6
www.sfa.ca/vpacademic
MEMORANDUM
ATTENTION
Senate
DATE
February 15,2012
FROM
Bill Krane, Acting Vice-President, Academic
PAGES 1/1
and Provost, and Acting Chair, SCUP
RE:
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: Change of First Nations Studies Program to Department
(SCUP 11-55)
At its December 7, 2011 meeting SCUP reviewed and approved the proposal to change First Nations
Studies from a Program to a Department within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
Motion:
That Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the proposal to change First Nations
Studies from a Program to a Department within the Faculty
of Arts and Social Sciences.
Encl.
c: J. Craig
E. Yellowhorn
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
THINKING OF THE WORLD
SFU
FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Office of the Dean
SCUP 11-55
Academic Quadrangle Room 6168
8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC
Canada V5A IS6
TEL 778.782.4415
l-AX 7~8.782.3033
www.fass.sfu.ca
MEMORANDUM
ATTENTION
FROM
RE:
Jon Driver, VP, Academic
DATE
John Craig, Dean
pages
First Nations: creating a department
February 15,2012
1/1
With the transfer of the Department of Archaeology to the Faculty of Environment effective 1 April 2011,
we have given close consideration to the future of the First Nations Studies program (formerly housed within
Archaeology) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
The attached document presents the case for creating a Department of First Nations Studies. I would be
grateful if you might bring the proposal before SCUP and Senate for their consideration and approval.
1 believe that this development is timely and needed. Several months ago, we held a referendum on whether
the program in First Nations Studies should become a department and an overwhelming majority of facultv
colleagues in Arts and Social Sciences voted in tavour of such a change.
It is clear that the program in First Nations Studies has been growing steadily, both in teaching and research
profile. The closure of the Kamloops campus has increased the administrative responsibilities of the program
staff most notably with the courses offered in conjunction with various First Nations communities around
the province.
SFU declared its commitment, in its university-wide strategic plan, to address the higher education needs and
aspirations of aboriginal students. The vision was to remedy the deficiencies that created obstacles for their
presence at SFU's lower mainland campuses. With the closing of the Kamloops campus, the creation of a
Department of First Nations Studies is a vital affirmation of SFU's commitment to First Nations
communities in the province and across Canada.
Sincerely,
John Craig,
Dean
1
JC/jl
cc: Eldon Yellowhorn, Director, First Nations Studies
William Lindsay, Director, Office for Aboriginal Peoples
Paul Budra, Associate Dean, FASS
SIMON I-RASER UNIVERSITY
tHINKING OF tHE WORLD
February 15,2012
Rationale for a First Nations Department
Initially the First Nations Studies program was designed for students attending SFU's
Kamloops campus on the Kamloops Indian Reserve in the early 1990s. Designed for an
undergraduate student population, the programbegan with five core courses augmented
with special topics and directed readings courses. Its courses appeared on the Burnaby
campus in the fall semester of 1998. One half-time faculty member serviced the core
courses, offering one course each semester. Students could receive enough credits from
the program for a minor. Through incremental steps, FNST is now a physical place on
campus and is an academic unit offering a Bachelor
of Arts degree. There are five faculty
members who teach a diverse range of courses, and two adjunct professors.
In the First Nations university-wide strategic plan, SFU declared its commitment to
addressing the higher education needs and aspirations of Aboriginal students. The vision
was to remedy the deficiencies that created obstacles for their presence at
SFU's lower
mainland campuses. With the closing
of the Kamloops campus in 2010, a Department of
First Nations Studies initiative is vital to affirrning the ongoing institutional commitment
to higher education among First Nations communities. Moreover, the recent decision to
move the Department
of Archaeology from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
(FASS) into the Faculty of Environment precipitated the current discussion. There was a
strong desire for FNST to remain in FASS in order to maintain our academic autonomy
and to sustain our links to those academic units, such as the departments of English and
Anthropology, where our faculty have joint appointments. Although a Department of
First Nations Studies would be small initially, it could contribute to the integrity of the
FASS mission in the university. For example the Department of Archaeology is the
current institutional host for the Bill Reid Centre for the Study of Northwest Coast Art,
but its iiriminent move to the Faculty of Environment means a new arrangement within
FASS will be necessary. Departmental status will inject clarity over such matters and also
over the existing administrative procedures pertaining to tenure and promotion.
With the Department
of Archaeology refocusing its institutional affiliation to the Faculty
of Environment, the First Nations Studies program must evolve in the Faculty of Arts and
Social Sciences in order to be an anchor for facilitating FNST courses across the province
and articulating with the First Nations Languages Centre, which has an active research
mandate, and with the Indigenous Research Institute. As SFU embarks on the next stage
of its First Nations Strategic Plan, there will be a demonstrable need for a strong
academic unit to fulfill its objectives. Presently, the infrastructure is in place, including
office resources and academic and support staff, to grow the program to departmental
status.
A. The First Nations Studies Program
The nature and objectives of the First Nations Studies program appear in the calendar as
follows:
The objective of the program is to present and examine critically [traditional and
contemporary] issues, taking into account the perspectives
of aboriginal peoples. In
addition, it exposes studentsto researchmethodspertinent to past, present, and future
issues affecting aboriginal peoples. In this respect, it is especially relevant for First
Nations students who wish to put knowledge of indigenous issues and research skills
to practice in serving their communities and nations.
Such a focus on an interdisciplinary, holistic and rigorous process - the deliberate
blending
of historical, literary, scientific, and aesthetic perspectives in analyzing
Aboriginal people in contemporary society - gives courses in First Nations Studies their
unique and important role in the university's curriculum. While traditional knowledge is
still the program's primary focus, additional courses offerings in art and environmental
activism, autobiography and heritage stewardship enhance the potential for comparative
and cross-cultural perspectives. First Nations Studies exists to observe and chronicle the
experiences of Aboriginal people in contemporary society and strongly endorses the
mandate to be inclusive in this objective. Faculty members work closely with other
academic departments and cognate disciplines in terms of curriculum and whenever
possible to participate in joint research ventures. Presently, the First Nations Studies
Advisory Committee includes representation from six academic units within the
university, each being chosen because they teach in cognate disciplines. This committee
meets regularly to make recommendations for improving the program, to coordinate
amongst faculty members and their respective departments, and to provide advice and
input on program, policy and planning decisions.
Faculty in First Nations Studies strive to make positive contributions to the university by
designing and implementing a specially created interdisciplinary curriculum, with the aim
of ensuring the intellectual coherence and distinctiveness of the program's approach in
the arts and social sciences and to complement other academic programs at the university.
By utilizing a subject and problem approach to issues
of critical thinking about ancient
and modern manifestations
of aboriginal culture, students of First Nations Studies and
their counterparts in other disciplines will gain an interdisciplinary perspective on their
chosen field of study.
B. Program Growth
The First Nations Studies program performs many of the functions of a normal
department and its director is a member of the Dean's Advisory Council. Five continuing
faculty contribute to its success. The program currently recognizes two adjunct
professors.
In academic year 2002/03, First Nations Studies offered seven courses at SFU Burnaby
and counted 125 students in them. With each new faculty member added the number of
courses on offer, as well as the student population, have grown steadily. By 2009/10 this
had climbed to eighteen courses with a total enrollment of 470. Over the last two
semesters of this academic year, there have been twenty-five courses taught, with 413
enrolled in 2010/10 and 543 enrolled in 2011/12 so far. (See Figure One)
Prior to the fall semester of 2010, students could earn a minor in FNST, a post-
baccalaureate diploma, or a research certificate, or declare a joint major with
Archaeology or Linguistics. Creating the major was in response to student interest and
currently four undergraduates have declared First Nations Studies as their major, and
twenty-five have opted for the minor
program. In cooperation with the Office for
Aboriginal Peoples, FNST has established links with the Fraser Intemational College as a
potential partner and revenue stream for courses delivered for its students. Courses are
offered at Harbour Centre and Surrey campuses and through Online and Distance
Education. Several courses are designated as fulfilling breadth requirements, and one is
designated a writing intensive course, that can count toward programs students are
completing in other departments, and this will continue to be an important role
of a
Department of First Nations Studies.
In response to the recommendations contained in a three-year plan written by the chair of
archaeology in 2006, the First Nations Studies program expanded to four faculty
members and can offer more variety in course selection. It occupies office space in
Saywell Hall and has one seminar room dedicated to the program. In addition, two
faculty members have lab space in archaeology.
C. Research Profile
Faculty in the First Nation Studies Program are fully engaged in a range of research
topics that are making significant contributions to the academic discipline and to
Aboriginal communities through applied research methods.
The research conducted by
our faculty falls into the themes identified in the SFU strategic research plan as: 1)
Culture, Society and Human Behaviour; and 2) Environment.
Under the rubric of examining the Native experience in the modem world, our faculty are
involved in research projects that exercise their expertise in varied disciplines.
Archaeology, contemporary arts, and English are some
of the subjects that inform our
research into the traditional knowledge of Aboriginal people. While some academic
departments, such as Gerontology, French and Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies,
have a smaller faculty contingent, they have established reputations for excellence in
teaching, research and reaching out to an audience that extends beyond academe.
Disseminating the results of research to the broader community establishes the university
as a stakeholder in the daily life of the nation. Just as gerontologists from SFU contribute
insights about
Canada'srapidly changing demographic profile, research in FNST will
generate new knowledge about a fast growing segment of the national population.
Marianne Ignace
focuses her research on the Secwepemc (Shuswap) people of the
Plateau. Her interests include aboriginal land use and occupancy, ethnobotany, traditional
ecological knowledge, ethnohistory, and the linguistic and anthropological analysis of
Aboriginal language discourse. In recent years, she has worked with First Nations
communities and elders on various language revitalization projects, including
Secwepemctsin, St'at'imcets,Heiltsuk, Nuxalk, Haida and Sm'algyax.
Deanna Reder
considers Indigenous literature, specifically Canadian Indigenous
autobiographies, not only from conventional literary perspectives but also through the use
of tribal or nation-specific frameworks. Currently she is also examining the formation of
the
Indigenous literary canon and its integration into Canadian university curriculum over
the past two decades.
Rudy Reimer/Yumks
integrates Indigenous Knowledge within a scientific milieu to
foster understanding of our environment through time. His interest focuses on the places
that become imbued with meaning for Indigenous peoples in the past and how this
reflected their cultural values.
annie ross
brings her insights from the visual arts to investigate the impact of modem
times on Indigenous people, their communities and their environment. Her field research
ranges from oral history interviews to workshops and installation arts.
Eldon Yellowhorn
brings an internalist perspective to archaeology in his study
of the
Piikani First Nation. His research triangulates data from oral history, archival and
material culture sources to interpret the dynamics of the forces that sculpted the
community culture and lived experience
of individuals during the historic period.
D. Community Outreach
A major feature of First Nations Studies at Simon Fraser University is the blending of the
academic program with the community oriented research strategies of the faculty. With
grants from agencies such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council,
faculty members conduct research with host communities. Archaeology, fine arts,
anthropology, literature and environmental studies are some of the topics that motivate
collaborative research initiatives between our faculty and Native peoples in Canada and
the United States. Inviting artists and scholars from first nations to participate in scholarly
activities, facilitating the repatriation of human remains and cultural property and
delivering academic courses to remote communities raises the profile of Simon Fraser
University. For example, First Nations Studies hosted an extremely successful weaving
conference that brought together traditional artisans from aboriginal communities in
British Columbia and Washington who are revitalizing their customary arts. The
Honourable Stephen Pointe, Lieutenant Govenor of British Columbia, gave the opening
address and welcomed the delegates to our campus.
E. Academic and Administrative Resources
Currently the First Nations Studies program is administered through the Office of the
Dean of Arts and Social Sciences. The infrastructure is built and include office resources
and academic and support staff(which consists of
Lorraine Yam, Manager,
Academic
and Administrative Services
and Linda Abbinante, Undergraduate Assistant)
to grow
the program to departmental status. No additional academic resources are required for the
proposed Department of First Nations Studies to operate as a stand-alone entity.
F. Conclusion
First Nations Studies at Simon Fraser University is committed to building on a strong
foundation of interdisciplinary teaching andresearch, community liaisonand institutional
innovation in making the transition from program to department. As a department, First
Nations Studies will be better able to meet the undergraduate demand for multi-
disciplinary courses and programs, will be a more effective voice for cross-disciplinary
approaches within the faculty of arts and social sciences, will be better able to serve the
academic and professional needs of its faculty members, and will be able to develop
further the presence of first nations in the broader community.
Dr. Eldon Yellowhorn
Director, FNST
Appendix A
First Nations Studies
Ethnic Studies emerged as a distinct discipline in 1969 at UC Berkeley, with Native
American Studies being among the charter programs. That same year, Trent University
began offering Native Studies courses that ultimately evolved into the first such
department in Canada. Today, it is a thriving discipline that has expanded across North
America, and beyond. Over one hundred universities and colleges in the United States
and twenty-eight universities in Canada have programs or departments. In Europe, the
University of Copenhagen offers undergraduate and master degrees in Eskimology and
Arctic Studies. Leiden University in the Netherlands has a graduate program in Indian
American Studies leading to a Master of Arts degree.
The American Indian Culture and Research Journal, which began publishing in 1971 at
UC Los Angeles, is the premier journal in Native Studies. American Indian Quarterly and
Wicazo Sa Review also express a mandate to examine aboriginal perspectives and issues
in contemporary and historical contexts. In Canada, there are six journals that provide a
forum to disseminate the results of scholarly research. The Canadian Journal of Native
Studies and Native Studies Review are the most widely cited, while others emphasize
specific topics such as law, education or social work.
Five major universities in British Columbia offer some combination of undergraduate and
graduate programs in Native Studies and related fields. Many provincial colleges offer
foundational courses in First Nations Studies that are transferable credit for university
undergraduate programs. The Faculty
of Education at Simon Fraser University offers a
professional development program with a first nations focus because it is a teachable
subject in B.C. high schools. One Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples
of North
America was awarded to the Department
of History in the Faculty of Arts and Social
Sciences.
One CRC (Tier II) held jointly by the faculties of Applied Sciences and
Environment, examines First Nations Cultural and Environmental Resource
Management.
Figure 1
"FNST" Enrollment
(Per Term Count )
FNST Enrollment
300
250
200
o
u
100
50
2
n
3
2
2^Q
7
195
226
16 9
143
1
97
2
54
41
19
n.
10
n
27
n
12.
3 I
1064 10671071 10741077 1081 1084 10871091 1094 10971101 1104 1107 1111 1114 1117 1121
Term
Term # Enrollment*
1064
19
1067
137
1071
97
1074
10 *
1077
54
1081
126
1084
27 *
1087
195
1091
137
1094
32 *
1097
269
1101
169
1104
31
1107
239
1111
143
1114
41
1117
276
1121
226 0
0 Term count as of February 10, 2012.
* Burnaby offers only one FNST course (FNST 201-3) during summer terms.
Community Academic Outreach (FNEP)'s FNST course enrollment excluded.
Appendix B
SFU Courses with First Nations Content
The following pages list courses from across the universitythat contain significant
content relating to Aboriginal people. Courses from other departments are sometimes
forwarded to the FNST programme to be evaluated as potential substitutions for those
listed in our major. Courses that transfer students bring to SFU from other institutions are
evaluated by the FNST faculty to determine their equivalency, or to consider if
unassigned credit is more appropriate.
http://www.sfu.ca/aboriginalpeoples/files/Aboriginal-Indigenous-Courses.pdf
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
OFFICE FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLES
AQ 3140-8888 University Drive
TEL 778.782.8924
wlindsay@sfu.ca
Burnaby, BC Canada V5A 1S6
www.sfu.ca
Below are a list of undergraduate and graduate courses with significant or recognized
Aboriginal/Indigenous content that are currently being offered at Simon Fraser
University. These have been identified as such by the SFU Faculties themselves.
This is a preliminary list and will be amended as required or requested. As well, a yearly
message will go out to Faculties to provide updated information.
For specific information concerning these courses please see the unit web links below,
google the courses on SFU's main web page, or contact the Faculties themselves.
Please note that some of the courses listed below are cross-listed which means only one
of the two courses may be counted for credit. Where possible, course credit and
Writing,
Quantitative, and Breadth
(WQB) designations are also listed for the courses.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
http://www.fass.sfu.ca/
The School of Criminology
http://www.sfu.ca/criminology/ugrad/courseinfo/index.html
CRIM311 Minorities and the Criminal Justice System - 3 credits
CRIM 315 Restorative Justice - 4 credits (Breadth-Social Sciences)
CRIM 419 Aboriginal/Indigenous Justice - 3 credits
CRIM 429 Indigenous Peoples and International Law - 3 credits
CRIM 442 Correctional Practice: Advanced Topics - Restorative Justice Models and Techniques - 3 credits
http://www.english.sfu.ca/undergrad/courses/ugrad
ENGL 360 Popular Writing by Indigenous Authors - 4 credits
ENGL 453W Aboriginal Literatures - 4 credits (Writing)
ENGL 840 Studies in American Literature - 4 credits
ENGL 841 Studies in Canadian Literature - 4 credits
ENGL 843 Studies in Colonial, National, and Diasporic Literatures - 4 credits
ENGL844 Studies in Aboriginal Literatures - 4 credits
ENGL 853 Studies in Postcolonial Literature - 4 credits
First Nations Studies Program
http://www.sfu.ca/fns/courses/
FNST101 The Cultures, Languages, and Origins of Canada's First Peoples - 3 credits (Breadth-Humanities/Breadth-Social Sciences)
FNST 201 Canadian Aboriginal Peoples'Perspectives on History - 3 credits (Breadth-Social Sciences)
FNST212 Indigenous Perceptions of Landscape - 3 credits
FNST 222 Selected Topics in First Nations Studies - 3 credits
FNST301 Issues in Applied First Nations Studies Research - 3 credits
FNST322 Special Topics in First Nations Studies - 3 credits
FNST 325 History of Aboriginal Peoples of North America - 4 credits
FNST 326 History of Aboriginal Peoples of North America - 4 credits
FNST 327 Aboriginal Women in Canada -4 credits
FNST 329 Sexuality and Gender: Indigenous Perspectives - 3 credits
FNST 332 Ethnobotany of British Columbia First Nations - 3 credits
FNST 360 Popular Writing by Indigenous Authors - 4 credits
FNST 363 Indigenous Poetry, Poetics, Printmaking- 4 credits
FNST 376 Indigenous Weaving Technologies: Community of Beings - 4 credits
FNST 383 Indigenous Technology: Art and Sustainability - 4 credits
FNST 401 Aboriginal Rights and Government Relations - 3 credits
FNST 402 The Discourse of Native Peoples - 3 credits
FNST 403 Indigenous Knowledge in the Modern World - 3 credits
FNST 419 Aboriginal/Indigenous Justice - 3 credits
FNST 429 Indigenous Peoples and International Law- 3 credits
FNST 433 Indigenous Environmental Activism - 4 credits
FNST 442 Directed Readings in First Nations Studies - 3 credits
FNST 443 Aboriginal Peoples, History, and the Law -4 credits
FNST 462 Indigenous Oral Testimony: Theory, Practice, Purpose, Community - 4 credits
Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
http://www.sfu.ca/gsws/course_offerings/index.html
GSWS 301 Special Topic: Topics in Contemporary First Nations Women'sArt —4 credits
GSWS310 Who'sYour Momma: Earth, Women, and Duty —4 credits
GSWS 327 Aboriginal Women in Canada - 4 credits
http://students.sfu.ca/calendar/history/HIST_courses.html
HIST 323 The Canadian Prairies - 4 credits
HIST 325 History of Aboriginal Peoples of North America to 1850 - 4 credits
HIST 326 History of Aboriginal Peoples of North American Since 1850 - 4 credits
HIST 427 Problems in the History of Aboriginal Peoples - 4 credits
HIST 443 Aboriginal People's, History, and the Law- 4 credits
Department of Linguistics
http://students.sfu.ca/calendar/linguistics/LING_courses.html
FNLG130 Practical Phonetics for First Nations Languages - 3 credits
FNLG 158 First Nations Language Immersion I- 3 credits
FNLG 231 Introduction to First Nations Language I- 3 credits
FNLG 232 Introduction to First Nations Language 11-3 credits
FNLG 258 First Nations Language Immersion 11-3 credits
FNLG 331 Description and Analysis of a First Nations Language I- 3 credits
FNLG 332 Description and Analysis of a First Nations Language 11-3 credits
FNLG 335 Topics in First Nations Language I - 3 credits
FNLG 433 First Nations Language Mentoring I- 3 credits
FNLG 434 First Nations Language Mentoring 11-3 credits
FNLG 435 Topics in First Nation Language 11-3 credits
LING 430 First Nations Languages - 3 credits
Department of Political Science
http://www.sfu.ca/politics/undergrad/ug_courses.html
POL 324 The Canadian Constitution - 4 credits
POL329 Canadian Government and Politics: Indigenous Peoples' Perspectives - 4 credits
http://www.sfu.ca/mpp/student/courses/
MPP 812 First Nations Policy - 5 credits
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
http://www.socanth.sfu.ca/undergraduate/course_offerings
10
10
SA 100W Perspectives on Canadian Society- 4 credits (Writing/Breadth-Social Sciences)
SA101 Introduction to Anthropology - 4 credits (Breadth-Social Sciences)
SA141 Sociology and Anthropology Practicum I- 3 credits
SA150 Introduction
to Sociology - 4 credits (Breadth-Social Sciences)
SA 201W Anthropology and Contemporary Life - 4 credits (Writing)
SA245 Cultures and Images - 4 credits
SA 286 Aboriginal Peoples and British Columbia: Introduction - 4 credits
SA 300 Canadian Social Structure - 4 credits
SA301 Contemporary Ethnography - 4 credits
SA302W Global
Problems and the Culture of Capitalism - 4 credits (Writing/Breadth-Social Sciences)
SA326
Ecology and Social Thought - 4 credits
SA 364 Urban Communities and Cultures - 4 credits
SA371 The Environment and Society - 4 credits
SA 386 The Ethnography of Politics - 4 credits
SA388 Comparative Studies of Minority Indigenous Peoples - 4 credits
SA402 The Practice of Anthropology - 4 credits
SA 421 Commodities and Substances: Bodies, Consumption, and Ingestion - 4 credits
SA 429 Sex, Work, and International Capital - 4 credits
SA460 Special Topics in Sociology and Anthropology - 4 credits
SA486 Aboriginal Peoples
and British Columbia - Advanced Seminar - 4 credits
http://www.fass.surrey.sfu.ca/wl/courses
WL 101W Writing about Literature - 3 credits (Writing/Breadth-Humanities)
http://beedie.sfu.ca/courses/index.php7level
BUS 493 Selected Topic: Corporate Aboriginal Relations - Social Responsibility and Sustainable Business
Development - 3 credits
http://www.educ.sfu.ca/undergrad/course-information.html
EDUC 311 Foundations in Aboriginal Education, Language, and Culture - 3 credits (Breadth-Humanities)
http://www.fenv.sfu.ca/programs/course-outlines.html
Department of
http://www.sfu.ca/archaeology/courses/index.html
ARCH 273 Archaeology of the New World - 3 credits (Breadth-Social Sciences)
ARCH 301 Ancient Visual Art - 3 credits (Breadth-Humanities)
ARCH 386 Cultural Resource Management - 3 credits
School of Resource and Environmental Management
http://www.rem.sfu.ca/programs/
REM601 The Social Science of Natural Resources Management - 5 credits
REM 661 Qualitative Methods in an Interdisciplinary Context - 5 credits
REM662 Special Topic: First Nations and Co-Management - 5 credits
REM 670 Introduction to Forestry - 5 credits
http://students.sfu.ca/programs/science.html
http://www.sfu.ca/continuing-studies/programs/aboriginal-pre-health-program/courses.html
CHEM 109-4 Introduction to Chemistry for Health Careers- 4 credits
11
II
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
OFFICE FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLES
AQ 3140-8888 University Drive
TEL: 778.782.8924
wlimlsayr^sfu.ca
Burnaby, BC Canada V5A 1S6
www.sfu.ca
12
May 2, 2011
Letter of Support Re: First Nations Studies Program Gaining Departmental Status
To Whom It May Concern:
I am very happy to provide a letter of support for the First Nations Studies Program at Simon
Fraser University as it applies to gain departmental status. First Nations Studies is a subject area
very dear to my heart. I believe the program can flourish, with departmental status being a key to
this. I know the whole Aboriginal population at our university is very excited about this
possibility.
As highlighted below, there are numerous excellent reasons for First Nations Studies attaining
departmental status. This includes expansion of Aboriginal-oriented courses/programs and the
expansion
of Aboriginal research initiatives, both of which are mentioned in the university's First
Nations University-Wide Strategic Plan.
Regarding such initiatives, the First Nations University-Wide Strategic Plan for SFU says the
following on pages 20-21:
1.
Major Strategic Plan Initiative: Academic Program Development
Major Strategic Plan Goal: Integrate innovative First Nations culturally relevant content into the
curriculum and
assist academic departments or units in the development of courses and programs
that include a First Nations perspective.
Action Item: Identify academic units of strategic potential for developing new
academic programming and seek to develop
new programming in those areas.
Action Item: Increase visibility
of Aboriginal peoples, faculty, graduate and
undergraduate students, and Aboriginal community members and issues at the center
of academia and in educational contexts.
Action Item: Identify needs of First Nations peoples and communities for
graduate
programming (italics mine) and seek initiatives to develop and support the
development of these programs within academic units across the university.
12
13
Regarding these particular programming initiatives, Simon Fraser University could/would be
leading the way in
British Columbia in the field of Aboriginal Studies with such program
expansion, going beyond what other institutions are currently and
generally doing. For example,
increased program offerings in Metis and Inuit studies and increased involvement by Aboriginal
elders at SFU could/would set the future Department for First Nations Studies apart from similar
programs around the province and make it attractive to potential applicants. Future Graduate
Studies offerings in this field would set it further apart. Gaining departmental status is certainly a
key development point for making such happen.
2. Major Strategic Plan Initiative: Research Development
Major Strategic Plan Goal: Establish a comprehensive framework for the promotion,
encouragement, and support of First Nations research.
Action Item: Work with faculty across the university to develop research networks,
centers, and
institutes
(italics mine) that will work to create new connections among
students, researchers, and First Nations communities and advance innovation in First
Nations research.
Action Item: Collaborate with First Nations peoples and communities to identify
priority areas for research and establish research initiatives in these strategic areas.
Action Item: Create awareness and visibility for researchers in First Nations at Simon
Fraser University through the development of a communications strategy, research
infrastructure, and promotional materials.
Action Item: Develop partnerships with First Nations peoples and communities to
inspire increased community-based research opportunities for faculty and students
engaged in First Nations research.
Regarding these particular research initiatives, an existing ad hoc committee at Simon Fraser
University is currendy working on the creation
of an
Indigenous Researdi Institute.
Such an institute,
almost unique in the province, could/would work along closely with a Department for First
Nations Studies to attain the above concomitant and important research goals.
I thus see great benefit to the creation
of a Department for First Nations (or Aboriginal) Studies at
Simon Fraser University. I know that our great university would most certainly become a
provincial and national leader in this subject area with the creation
of such. I thus pray you will
give this initiative serious and positive consideration.
Sincerely,
William G. Lindsay
Director, Office for Aboriginal Peoples
Simon Fraser University
13
