Council Recap: UPEISU Show Support Towards Campus Indigenization and Indigenous Reconciliation.

By Yakosu Umana

A Student Union executive wants UPEI to put more effort towards reconciliation with the university’s indigenous community.

Malak Nassar, Vice President Academic and External, moved a motion to the SU Council towards that goal, during last night’s meeting.

Although UPEI has policies towards reconciliation, there have been insufficient resources allocated for it, she said.

“Our recommendation is that UPEI and the government in PEI collaborate to provide more resources and accommodation to the indigenous community on campus.”

Nassar moved the motion for a new policy which includes a four-step plan towards reconciliation.

One of those steps is increasing indigenous representation in leadership positions.

“The UPEISU is recommending that UPEI include indigenous persons in decision-making positions,” Nassar said.

Another step is to include Indigenous history in all courses mandatory for graduation.

“It is important that all UPEI students graduate having been exposed to indigenous knowledge and indigenous art,” Nassar said.

“The SU is recommending that UPEI incorporate aspects of indigenous knowledge and history into all UPEI university study courses.”

Nassar and the UPEISU also recommend the creation of an indigenous student ambassador program, at the Mawi’omi centre, which would act as the school’s liaison to indigenous communities.

All SU council members voted in favour of the motion.

Kari Kruse, the SU’s Accessibility officer, said she voted in favour of the motion because UPEI is on Unceded Mi’kmaq territory and indigenous matters should be prioritized.

“It’s great to see indigenous groups being prioritized by the Student Union,” she said.

“We can no longer ignore the systemic barriers that were created by White Supremacy.”

In other council matters, the UPEISU announced a 52.9 per cent increase for the school’s foodbank budget.