ANNUAL REPORT 2019 - 2020 First Nations University of Canada Campuses Regina Campus FNUniv Regina Campus is located on the atim kâ-mihkosit (Red Dog) Urban Reserve, Star Blanket Cree Nation, Treaty 4 Territory. FNUniv began delivering programs on the University of Regina campus in 1976. Prince Albert Campus Our Prince Albert Campus serves the north with programs in Indigenous Social Work, Indigenous Education, Business and Arts. We have offered programs in Prince Albert since the early 1990s and have seen enrollments rise over the years. Saskatoon Campus Our Saskatoon campus has evolved over many years of operations in various locations across the city. We now have a long-term lease at the McKnight Centre on the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation reserve. We offer a variety of programs in Saskatoon with the main area of academic programming being in Social Work. Traditional Campus In early 2020 the University purchased 22 acres of land along the shores of the North Saskatchewan River, 30 minutes outside Prince Albert for the purpose of creating a permanent Traditional/Land-based learning Campus. FNUniv has utilized this property for our Social Work and Education Culture Camps, as well as for sweat lodge ceremonies and medicine picking teachings, since 2017. This campus offers our students an opportunity to live and learn on the land guided by Elders and allows faculty to take their classrooms outdoors where our teachings have always been. Community Based FNUniv works collaboratively with Indigenous communities, local and regional educators, and tribal councils, to deliver programs and, on an on-going basis, identify and develop new and emerging post-secondary educational needs. 2019 /// 2020 ANNUAL REPORT 2 CHAIR’S MESSAGE: Loretta Pete Lambert As the newly appointed Board Chair for the First Nations University of Canada, I’m delighted to take on such an integral role not only for the University, but most importantly, our students. There have a been a number of changes to the Board. I’d like to thank former Board Chair, Yvette Arcand, for her leadership over the past few years. Yvette is continuing with the Board of Governors as part of the Audit, Finance & Risk committee. I’d also like to welcome Dr. Bob Kayseas, as the new Interim President. Dr. Kayseas was appointed by the Board in July 2019. His dedication to the university and students, with the concurrent roles of Vice President, Academic and Vice President, Finance & Administration, and Business Faculty member, have proven to be exemplary over the years. We look forward to the future of the University under his guidance. Our new 2019-2024 Strategic Plan: ôtê nîkân “in the future” is underway. The intersection of students pursuing post-secondary education and the heritage, culture and knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples are the strategic priorities of the Board. In January 2020, the Board approved the new Academic Governance & Administration Framework, developed to ensure effective and efficient academic administration for quality academic delivery for students and enabling faculty to focus on high value teaching outcomes. With all plans, change will come; however these plans are paving the way for the continued success of First Nations University of Canada. 2019 was a year for growth. From the reconstruction and development of the new pamināwasowin Child Care Centre on the Regina Campus, to the renovation and relocation of our Saskatoon Campus, these final projects exhibit the dedication that the Executive Management team has for our students and their families. As in previous years, the Regina campus was host to various youth camps emphasizing the Sciences and Entrepreneurship. Students from across the country were invited to participate in 1-2-week sessions, and supporting and harnessing with them, their own future educational visions and aspirations. Thank you to the faculty, staff and Elders for your contribution and added value to the University. I must also recognize the Annual Spring Celebration Powwow and Committee for the warmth and inclusion this celebration brings to the community. Thousands of spectators, dancers, singers, Elders, Veterans and dignitaries took part in the 2-day event. On behalf of the Board, we say thank you to Richard Missens, Chair of the Powwow Committee for 25 years, for your years of dedication to the celebration. Richard has chosen to step down as Chair to focus on Business Development for his home community, Pasqua First Nation. The Co-Chairs will continue on with the legacy the annual celebration brings to FNUniv and the community. I look forward to another year with the Board and the First Nations University of Canada. 3 2019 /// 2020 ANNUAL REPORT INTERIM PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dr. Bob Kayseas In July 2019, I was honoured to be appointed as Interim I’d like to thank and congratulate our staff and faculty on the President while maintaining my role as Vice President, numerous community development and partnership Academic. This is my twenty-first year at the FNUniv. I am opportunities they’ve engaged in over the past year. The also an alumnus of the Saskatchewan Indian Federated Col- University was host to the 10th annual Indigenous Youth lege (now known as the FNUniv). My academic journey began Entrepreneurship Camp and a Science Camp. Inviting youth here as a student many years ago. Today, I can still see the from across the country empowers the growth potential of positive impacts the institution has on the students who make young people and often leads them to post-secondary the life choice to attend the FNUniv. institutions as students. Our Elders involvement in the hosted events are valuable to the University. FNUniv and The University has undertaken numerous transformations NCCIE hosted the 3rd annual Elders’ Gatherings in throughout the year, including new additions to the Executive Saskatoon, Regina, and Prince Albert. Attendance at these Team, the launch of the 2019-2024 Strategic Plan, ôtê nîkân, annual events has continued to grow over the years because “in the future,” implementation of a revised academic of the traditional teachings from the living libraries of our time. administrative structure, the redesign of the institutional website, and the unprecedented changes everyone had to Although we can highlight the many accomplishments make because of the global pandemic that started at the achieved by the University throughout the year, the close of FNUniv in mid-March 2020. the fiscal year introduced many challenges with the global pandemic, the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), reaching At the beginning of the fiscal year in 2019, the design and Canada and Saskatchewan in early March 2020. FNUniv construction of the new pamināwasowin Child Care Centre at and all educational institutions were abruptly impacted. In the the Regina Campus commenced, leading to a grand course of days, we had to modify the delivery of our courses opening in January 2020. A high percentage of our students from primarily in-person learning and teaching methods to have young children and experience low incomes, so remote delivery. Despite the sudden changes to our providing an affordable daycare facility on campus was a institution, the staff, faculty, and students completed that first priority for many years. The facility came to fruition through a term successfully. partnership with the Province of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education. Our students are the first and foremost priority at the First Nations University of Canada. I look forward to serving as the In mid-2019, FNUniv signed a 10-year lease for a new Sas- Interim President and providing the support our students may katoon Campus, situated on the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation’s need over the next year. urban reserve. The facility provides a learning environment for students, faculty, and sessionals that allows for direct inter- mîkwêc action and exposure to First Nations political and business leadership. For the first time in years, there’s a sense of home amongst the students, staff, Elders, faculty, and sessionals. Amongst the tangible changes to the University, our executive and academic teams have evolved. In June 2019, we welcomed Jason Wong from the Gitxsan Nation, located in BC., as the new Vice President, Finance & Administration. We also welcomed a new Director of Finance, Shannon St. Onge, into the Senior Management team in June 2019. In January 2020, the new Academic Governance & Administration Framework was introduced. It summarized the governance and administration structures for FNUniv academic programming in order to provide clarity on decision making authorities and administrative roles and responsibilities. Under the framework, the following new positions were introduced in 2020 and established in the 2020-2021 fiscal year: an Associate Dean, Academic, an Associate Dean, Community, Research & Graduate Programs, an Academic Administrator, and Program Coordinators. 2019 /// 2020 ANNUAL REPORT 4 STUDENT ASSOCIATION’S PRESIDENT’S GREETINGS Marissa Kakakaway Elicia Munro-Sutherland Regina Campus President Saskatoon Campus Vice President, Director of Finance, and Sports & Recreation Representative During this time the FNUniv SA Regina have worked diligently in creating more structure, institutional memory, and Tanisi, Aniin, Boozhoo, my name is Elicia Munro-Sutherland. accountability within its operational systems. Thanks to the I am an Anishinaabe Nehiyaw woman from Beardys and support in sponsorship we received from Senior Okemasis Cree Nation. I’ve sat on the FNUniv YXE Campus Management, we were able to collaborate with McNair Busi- Student Association since 2016 as the Sports & Rec Rep, ness Development on developing an FNUniv SA handbook Vice President, and Director of Finance. In my final year, I had as well as updating our constitution. The FNUniv SA Regina the wonderful opportunity to be the President. It was an has been proudly driven to re-build relationships on campus absolute true honor. I worked with the best team ever and with the UofR ta-tawâw Student Centre, URSU, and FNUniv grew tremendously through Student Success Centre.