FNUC to close Saskatoon campus in effort to reorganize

It’s official, the Saskatoon campus of the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC) will close its doors at the end of August this year and issue faculty and staff layoffs at all three campuses.

FNUC President Shauneen Pete made the announcement on May 3 to a roomful of students, staff, and faculty gathered at the Saskatoon campus and others listening via videoconference from the Regina and Prince Albert campuses, where more cuts are expected. It’s anticipated that the closure and layoffs will help manage FNUC’s deficit and work towards reorganizing the institution.

Sharon Acoose, who is an assistant professor in FNUC’s Indian Social Work program and a Ph.D student at the University of Saskatchewan, said she was in the room when the announcement was made.

“Everything is still up in the air, we still don’t know anything,” she said, adding that she feels heartbroken at the news. “There are still classes being taught, we’re good until the end of August then after that we don’t know... I mean it’s sad because we’re losing a piece of our family.” 

Acoose was amongst a group of FNUC students, faculty and staff who held a solidarity walk in late April to show their support for the university.

“First Nations University! Walk of Solidarity!” they shouted, as they hit the Trans Canada highway and trekked all the way to Regina. At the time of the solidarity walk they called for the doors of FNUC’s Saskatoon campus to remain open and federal funding to be reinstated.

Acoose said ever since she entered the doors of FNUC as a student in 1989, her dream was to work as faculty.
“That was my dream. To have that dream ripped away from me, it hurts,” she said.

For now, the situation remains uncertain for everyone.
As a faculty member, Acoose has not heard of any plans to move the Indian Social Work program to another building, but a letter written to INAC by FNUC’s Chief Operating Officer, Del Anaquod, indicated the program would either be moved to Prince Albert or integrated into the University of Regina’s (U of R) Social Work Program in Saskatoon.

“I just think that the government should stop what they’re doing and just reinstate the funding and... get us back to normal,” Acoose said.

At the end of April, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) announced it was lifting its censure, imposed on FNUC in December 2008 after three years of failing to persuade the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) that it had a problem with FNUC’s governance structure.

CAUT official James Turk said this year FSIN had finally made the required changes and CAUT was ready to throw its support behind FNUC.

“They’ve done what they can, but now the crucial piece is the federal government (restoring) full funding... that’s the only missing piece right now,” said Turk.

Turk was present in an Ottawa meeting with INAC Minister Chuck Strahl, along with FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild, U of R President Vianne Timmons, FNUC Student Association President Diane Adams, and FNUC’s academic council chair, Randy Lundy.

Turk was also in the House of Commons Standing Committee when they met to discuss FNUC’s position.
“The most disturbing thing is there is one First Nation Member of Parliament from Saskatchewan, Rob Clarke, he justifies completely what the federal government is doing,” Turk said. “He spoke strongly against all of us in the House of Commons Standing Committee and justified what the federal government was doing in killing the First Nations University. It was very disturbing.”

CAUT official James Turk added that CAUT is now doing everything they possibly can to help get the federal government to restore funds, including making them aware of the enormous cost to First Nations communities.

He said FNUC needs core funding to survive and having to reapply for grant funding is not an ideal situation.
“If the federal government doesn’t restore full core funding, then the chance of it surviving is minimal. So the life or death of the university is in the hands of Mr. Harper and his government,” Turk said.

At the end of April, a leaked memo by a FNUC member indicated that Chief Lonechild was urging the board to either act quickly and decisively in delivering short and long-term plans for FNUC or to admit the university had faced its demise. Shortly afterward, INAC Minister Strahl announced FNUC’s $3 million funding grant was approved, providing the U or R handle the funds on behalf of FNUC.

On April 30, an FSIN press release stated Chief Lonechild was pleased to hear about the federal government’s approval of the $3 million and commended FNUC’s Interim Board of Governors and administration and the U of R for their diligent work on the ISSP application and the business case. Chief Lonechild added that FSIN would continue to seek an additional $4.2 Million in long-term, sustainable funding under its business plan application.

A recent decision of FNUC was re-hiring Chief Financial Officer, Murray Westerlund, who was fired early this year after raising concerns about misuse of funds by senior administrators. He filed a lawsuit for wrongful dismissal and in mid-April, reported to media that he was back on the job with a compensation settlement.