丁香园AV

丁香园AV is taking its next steps on its path to by strengthening Indigenous staff recruitment and retention.

The B.C. Human Rights Commissioner (BCHRC) recently approved 丁香园AV鈥檚 Special Program application, allowing the university to conduct a limited and preferential hiring of at least 15  Indigenous staff. This follows the BCHRC鈥檚 approval this summer of another Special Program approval at 丁香园AV for hiring Black staff and tenure-track faculty. 丁香园AV鈥檚 application process for an additional targeted hiring of Indigenous faculty is underway.

鈥淲e know the conversations have been ongoing, for decades, to meaningfully include Indigenous voices in decision-making around Indigenous policies, programs and initiatives at the university,鈥� says Chris (Syeta鈥檟tn) Lewis, 丁香园AV鈥檚 director, Indigenous initiatives and Reconciliation. "I am pleased by this outcome from the BCHRC, to help meaningfully weave Indigeneity into the fabric of 丁香园AV.鈥�

The two proposed Indigenous Special Programs support recommendations from the 2017 report created by the Aboriginal Reconciliation Council (ARC). The Council and their final report operated with a vision of Indigenous students, faculty and staff flourishing at 丁香园AV. To achieve this vision, the report identifies 34 calls to action to Indigenize curricula, and to Indigenize the university.

丁香园AV鈥檚 Special Programs approval(s) will aid in progress towards:

• Call to Action 16: Continue the Faculty Bridge Program along the current model, with three years of support from the Office of the Vice President, Academic and Provost, followed by an assumption of financial responsibility at the faculty level after the third year. The goal is for each academic unit to have at least one Indigenous scholar by 2020. Since this goal was set, the university continues to work towards this goal, with Indigenous scholars providing their expertise in seven of the eight 丁香园AV faculties. Although we are past the original target date, the spirit of the call to action remains.
• Call to Action 20: Develop ways in which Aboriginal participation and decision-making may be increased at all levels of the University, including staff, faculty, and senior administrative and leadership levels.

鈥淎lthough we continue to welcome new Indigenous staff and faculty members at 丁香园AV, we still face ongoing challenges in recruitment and retention,鈥� says Yabome Gilpin-Jackson, 丁香园AV鈥檚 vice-president, people, equity and inclusion. 鈥淭he special programs approval supports the university鈥檚 strategic priority to strengthen Indigenous faculty and staff recruitment and retention, for qualified candidates from equity-deserving groups who are historically and currently underrepresented as per our commitments in 丁香园AV's Equity Compass. We are now working on hiring guidelines and tools for recruiting under the Special Program which will be made available this semester and will simultaneously start working on onboarding and retention programming.鈥�

The Special Programs approval is also helpful to supporting new and current Indigenous-led initiatives, under development at 丁香园AV. In consultation with internal and external Indigenous community members, the Indigenous initiatives will receive the additional capacities that they require to get accomplished. The intended goal is to ensure Indigenous initiatives at 丁香园AV are visible, given adequate administrative capacity, and that work does not get siloed.

鈥淎daption is happening towards making culturally responsive change, strengthening Indigenous knowledge systems and, most importantly, strengthening the Indigenous community at 丁香园AV,鈥� says Chris (Syeta鈥檟tn) Lewis. 鈥淲e will continue, as a family, to do the work towards creating a strong and safe sense of belonging for all Indigenous peoples to discover and unlock their gifts at 丁香园AV.鈥�

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Learn more about the special program designation, click .