FNUC Hosts “Indian Control” Education Conference
Thursday, October 12, 2006 at 12:55
The First Nations University of Canada is hosting an Indigenous education conference in Saskatoon today.
The two-day gathering is entitled: “Road to Autonomy: Indian Control of Indian Education”.
That’s the theme school officials have used to justify some controversial firings at the university the last couple of years.
Regina campus student body president Kerrie Ahenakew believes the institution is trying to move forward from its recent troubles. She says part of that work includes defining “Indian control of Indian education”.
One of the guest speakers is Dr. Shauneen Pete, who authored a paper earlier this year suggesting the FNUC could survive without membership in the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.
A committee struck by the AUCC is scheduled to visit the school in December. The association has previously threatened to withdraw the FNUC’s membership over issues related to academic freedom and political interference.