Nipissing consults with Indigenous council to develop new treaty for Indigenous students

Members of the Nipissing University Indigenous Council on Education (NUICE) will support Nipissing University’s development of a treaty based on mutual obligations and promises called Waawiindamaagewin. Nipissing President Dr Kevin Wamsley recently met with NUICE representatives as part of the university’s ongoing strategic planning process, and both parties indicated the need for more work in diversity, equity, and inclusion and Indigenization at the university. “Even now at this point, there is a lot more going on at the elementary and secondary level around inclusion of Indigenous perspective in a curriculum,” said NUICE Member Fran Couchie. “That’s really good but there’s definitely a lag at the post-secondary level.” NUICE Chair Maurice Switzer emphasized the importance of providing a welcoming, comfortable environment for Indigenous students to support learning and critical thinking, as well as providing cultural training to all Nipissing community members.