The University of Alberta has released a report outlining the progress it has made on the Calls to Action issued by the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC).
Called the TRC Report to Community Dashboard, the report tracks the university's response to calls issued specificallly to post-secondary institutions along with aligned work.
"Since the TRC issued its report, the University of Alberta has begun implementing the Calls to Action in thoughtful, meaningful and sustainable ways," says Florence Glanfield, vice-provost (Indigenous programming and research), adding the university has only begun to "truly carry out the full scope of a journey that will take a substantial amount of time and effort, as there is so much work yet to do."
The Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was released in 2015 after the commission heard testimony from over 6,800 residential school survivors across the country. It called for a "renewed nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership."
The landmark report included 94 Calls to Action — among them tackling educational and employment barriers and educating people about the history and legacy of the Indian Residential School system — to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of reconciliation.
The TRC noted that universities are "uniquely and powerfully positioned" to enact reconciliation, and the Calls to Action touch on every aspect of the university mandate, with work in teaching, learning, research and community engagement.
In June 2022, the U of A released its inaugural Indigenous strategic plan, Braiding Past, Present and Future, which outlines goals and strategies to ensure Indigenous identities, languages, cultures and worldviews are reflected in everything the university does. Foregrounded in the right to self-determination, the plan also makes clear that its goals — along with all Indigenous initiatives at the university — must be Indigenous-led.
The university's new institutional plan, Shape: A Strategic Plan of Impact, builds on the commitments set out in Braiding Past, Present and Future to enable transformative institutional practices. Throughout consultations on the new strategic plan, indigenization was identified as a key priority. Shape makes clear that there is a deep commitment to reconciliation and Indigenous initiatives and one that represents the collective vision of the U of A community.
A collective, long-term commitment
The dashboard followed two years of broad dialogues with representatives from across the university in colleges, faculties and portfolios as well as First Nations, Métis and Inuit faculty and staff, nations and organizations.
During those consultations, the university heard a clear need to track its commitments to the Calls to Action and agreed to publish a report to community every two years to evaluate, report and act on institutional, faculty and unit responses to them.
The resulting report reflects work at the university to "remediate the erasure and exclusion of Indigenous knowledges, histories and knowledge systems," says Glanfield. It also details what the university is doing to carry out curricular and policy changes that address gaps in knowledge and practice. This work addresses the harm those gaps have had on the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples.
Implicit in the U of A's response is the acknowledgment that it has participated — and participates — in aspects of colonialism that were, and are, deeply harmful to Indigenous Peoples and that there is a wrong to right, she adds.
"A key part of reconciliation involves transparency," says U of A president Bill Flanagan. "We must be willing to assess how the university is taking up the Calls to Action across the institutional mandate. This report outlines what has been done to date at an institutional, faculty and unit level, as well as areas where we must focus additional efforts and resources."
"It is essential to reiterate that our collective mission is neither a fleeting gesture nor a temporary initiative but a sustained long-term commitment," says Glanfield. "Every step we take is with an intent to bring about transformative change within our institution, in the realms of education, and in society at large."
Key developments
Progress includes support for Indigenous student recruitment and retention, and increased numbers of Indigenous faculty and staff. In addition, all courses now require Indigenous content, remediating existing curricular gaps related to Indigenous histories and cultures.
In 2017, the U of A signed an agreement with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, joining a network of 16 Canadian post-secondary institutions that will share archives and collections related to the Indian Residential School system.
Along with Glanfield's position as vice-provost (Indigenous programming and research) in the Office of the Provost, two new leadership positions have been created on campus: assistant dean, First Nations, Métis and Inuit students in the Office of the Dean of Students; and assistant registrar, Indigenous enrolment management in the Office of the Registrar.
There has also been an increase in community-led Indigenous language revitalization efforts through the Canadian Indigenous Languages and Literacy Development Institute, as well as augmented Indigenous programming in the faculties of Native Studies, Arts, Education, and Medicine & Dentistry.
One of the world's leading Indigenous studies units, the Faculty of Native Studies works alongside Indigenous communities while teaching non-Indigenous people how to work responsibly with them. The Faculty of Education offers several programs related to Indigenous-focused teacher education and leadership, including the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program, the Specialization in Indigenous Peoples Education and the Summer Institute, a land-based course focused on teaching foundational Indigenous knowledge.
Another cross-faculty program, called I-STEAM Pathways, offers First Nations, Métis and Inuit undergraduate students to gain research experience in environmental fields, including science, environmental engineering, environmental law and policy.
The Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology in the Faculty of Arts is the first Indigenous-led and focused archeological institute that developed and applies low-impact archeological methods to survey unmarked burial sites at the behest of Indigenous communities.
Indigenous student services include First Peoples' House as well as services at Augustana Campus, connecting students to support for physical, mental, spiritual and cultural wellness as well as academic and financial resources and housing. The Transition Year Program provides Indigenous students with a strong network of support through small, intimate learning environments combining academic and cultural components. And U School introduces students in grades 4 to 9 from Indigenous, rural and remote communities to the U of A campus and the possibilities of post-secondary education.
All of these measures fulfil commitments to the Calls to Action to tackle the systemic barriers in education and employment that Indigenous Peoples face. The plan underscores the need for researchers to partner with Indigenous people to find solutions to pressing social problems.
The Calls to Action also urge the university to critically examine the validity of concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous lands and peoples, and to shed light on structural inequality.
"If we, as humans that live in this place now called Canada, are sincere in our efforts to realize reconciliation, then we must attend to all parts of our collective history, utilizing the power of the university to uplift all," says Glanfield.
"Universities play an undeniable role in shaping the minds of future educators, leaders and change makers. Our university is not just a hub of academic excellence; it's where thoughts are nurtured, values are instilled and visions for a more relational future are imagined and actioned. True reconciliation is an ongoing and enduring process, and while this report underscores many accomplishments, it simultaneously emphasizes those that are yet to be achieved."
The TRC Report to Community Dashboard is based on data contributed by U of A faculties, units within faculties, affiliated colleges and vice-presidential portfolios, and reflects activities undertaken between Jan. 1, 2016 and June 30, 2022.
