Meeting Time: 11:00 AM Meeting Location: CEPA1369
Present: Jacqueline Nolte (Dean, College of Arts), Kate McCulloch (Assistant Professor, Health Studies), Kathryn Garcia (Academic Advisor), Luanne Yellowfly (Associate Professor, SCMS), Nicole Kungle (recorder), Sheryl Newton (Assistant Professor, UUP), Shirley Hardman (Senior Advisor, Indigenous Affairs), Stan Manu (Assistant Professor, Math & Stats), Theresa Neil-Kumiga (Elder in Residence), Vandy Britton (Department Head, Teacher Education), Wenona Victor (Chair).
Regrets: Allan Arndt (Department Head, Biology), Cary Britton (Instructor, Applied and Technical Studies), Lorna Andrews (Director, Indigenous Student Centre), Marcella LaFever (Associate Professor, CMNS), Robert Harding (Associate Professor, SWHS).
1. Opening Prayer
Wenona asked everyone to join in on an exercise to connect with one’s self physically or spiritually.
1.1 Introductions
The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Everyone shared what they had planned for the weekend.
2. For Approval
2.1 Adopt the Indigenous Studies Curriculum Committee Agenda for May 5, 2017.
Amendments:
§ 4.6 Marcella LaFever’s 2017-18 sabbatical – should there be a replacement for her on the ISCC?
Agenda approved as amended.
2.2 Approve Indigenous Studies Curriculum Committee Minutes of March 9, 2017.
Amendments:
§ 4.5 Announcement of video for Recognition of Territory – spelling error. Change from unseeded to unceded.
Minutes approved as amended.
3. Business Arising
3.1 Aboriginal Culture and Language Support (ACLS) diploma
The Langley school district has contacted Wenona to set up a meeting to discuss the ACLS diploma. Luanne will be joining Wenona at the meeting to discuss the learning and career outcomes.
3.2 ISCC Webpage
Wenona and Nicole will be meeting with Louise from MARCOM this month to start working on the webpage. Wenona has asked everyone to think of a Banner image that could be used. A couple suggestions were given; a contest for someone to design the image; take the current image of the hummingbird that is being used by Indigenous Affairs, Indigenous Student Centre, and Indigenous@ufv, and incorporating it into a new design for Indigenous Studies.
Action: Nicole will contact Louise to set up a meeting to start the webpage design.
3.3 Indigenous Arts certificate
Action: Nicole will follow up with Shelley Stefan about the certificate program proposal for members to review.
4. For Discussion
4.1 Reconciliation and Conflict Transformation course – should this be an IS or PACS course?
Jacqueline’s recommendation is for all areas at UFV to take responsibility and implement reconciliation in their course materials and perhaps their pedagogy. She commented that there could be explicit courses within programs. Shirley shared that Public Service Canada is training 500,000 of their employees on reconciliation. Shirley also mentioned that there is going to be a required knowledge on reconciliation when graduating from a degree program, thus the importance of UFV offering courses on the topic. ISCC members recommended the importance of having structural support in place for teaching faculty and protection for the faculty and students. First Nations University currently offers a certificate in Reconciliation. The certificate consists of five courses; INDG 100 Introduction to Indigenous Studies; INDG 260 History of Residential Schools in Canada; INDG 262 Reconciliation and Indigenous Resurgence in Canada; ILP 100 Introduction to Intercultural Leadership; and one elective. Jacqueline asked Nicole to look up the course outline for INDG 262 Reconciliation and Indigenous Resurgence in Canada. ISCC members recommended a memo be sent to Indigenous Senate requesting for them to develop a course outline including course content, learning outcomes, and type of faculty needed to teach the course that is universal with a focus on Indigenization rubric moving towards reconciliation that can be used by various departments.
Action: Wenona will report to the ICS and the Dean’s office has organized in information committee to begin discussions.
4.2 Upper level Halq courses
Students have expressed interest in wanting upper level Halq courses. Currently there is a sessional faculty member teaching the lower level Halq courses. Halq is being facilitated under Modern Languages. It was suggested to keep the lower level Halq courses and review them and add upper level Halq courses with a conversational piece. There was also a discussion about whether Halq should stay with Modern Languages or move under Indigenous Studies. ISCC Members recommended for the revitalization of the Halq language it should be facilitated and monitored under Indigenous Studies.
Action: Wenona to send a memo to senate for the recommendation of moving Halq to IC.
4.3 Witness Blanket curriculum ideas
The Witness Blanket will be on Abbotsford campus from September 2-November 11, 2017. The opening ceremony will be on September 6 and the closing ceremony will be on November 8. The Witness Blanket is about 8 feet high and constructed out of cedar. It was created to honour survivors. You can download the Witness Blanket app and click on piece and it will tell you which residential school it came from. Learning outcomes for each faculty have been developed and Radical Raven Solutions has been hired to develop curriculum options for faculty to implement in their courses for the fall. The Witness Blanket course will be on blackboard for all faculty to access. For more information you can visit witnessblanket.ca
Witness Blanket app link, https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/witness-blanket/id973295312?mt=8.
Witness Blanket course option:
Upper Level “Shell” course
Opening ceremony
Sto:lo (ceremony) teachings – suggested to change teachings to protocols
5 guest speakers
6-8 hours of “Docent” duties
Closing ceremony
Final Presentations
4.4 “Cultural competencies” – tabled for next meeting
4.5 Territorial acknowledgement – table for next meeting
4.6 Marcella LaFever’s 2017-18 sabbatical – should there be a replacement for her on the ISCC?There will be a call out at the next CAC meeting for a replacement.
5. Information items
5.1 Indigenous Studies Major/Minor updateThe IS Major and Minor have been approved and will be implemented for Fall 2017. The calendar copy will be forwarded to all ISCC members for their review and feedback.
5.2 7th Aboriginal Math K-12 Symposium, Mathematical Landscapes for Reconciliation – May 11 at UBC. Stan will be attending this year.
Next Meeting:
Late September 2017 – Nicole will send out doodle poll with dates and times.
Next meeting agenda items
§ “Cultural competencies”
§ Territorial acknowledgement
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