Aboriginal enrolment up at SIAST

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The number of Aboriginal students enrolled at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) is increasing, according to an annual report submitted by the institute to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.

In 2001-2002, almost 2,300 of the 12,000 students registered at SIAST's four campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon were Aboriginal, which translates into 18.9 per cent of total enrollment. The rate for 2000-2001 was 17.5 per cent.

The institute has had an education equity program in place since 1990, designed to bring the enrollment and graduation rates of students in the four equity groups-Aboriginal people, women, visible minorities, and people with disabilities-to levels consistent with their representation in the working age population of the province.

As part of its education equity efforts in 2001-2002, the institute expanded the Native Access Program to Nursing, held a number of on-campus cultural awareness activities, and expanded the Aboriginal student centres at all four campuses.

The numbers for 2001-2002 actually surpass the equity program's enrollment goals for Aboriginal students by six per cent.

Paulette Traynor, SIAST education equity co-ordinator, attributes this success to the focus on retention and graduation of equity students.

"To us, that means providing a supportive learning environment that enables all our students to have an equal chance of success-success in asserting SIAST, success in achieving their academic potential here and success in making the transition to a career or further training," she said.

"Whether that involves specialized tutoring, providing a particular piece of technical equipment, access to Elder counselling, or just offering words of encouragement or advice when needed-we make a conscious and institution-wide effort to help all our students achieve their goals."