Initiatives
Working and Moving Forward Together
Indigenizing universities requires active partnership and engagement with Indigenous Peoples and communities. In developing Western’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, the University’s Indigenous Strategic Initiatives committee consulted extensively with various stakeholders including local Indigenous communities and organizations, Indigenous students, faculty and staff, and Western’s campus community. Beginning with a series of talking circles in 2014, our consultation evolved over the next two years to include close to 700 individuals who participated in focus groups, town halls, in-person meetings, surveys and online submissions which informed the content of the plan.
That same spirit of consultation and collaboration continues as we now work to implement actions to support the goals identified in the plan.
The Office of Indigenous Initiatives works across a wide range of broad-based areas including policy, curriculum and planning to move the institution beyond student affairs toward transformative change.
We are only just beginning this work, and look forward to growing along with our progress.
