From humble beginnings to impressive accomplishments

The First Nations University of Canada celebrated its 35 anniversary as a federated college of the University of Regina on May 27. After a turbulent half decade, staff, students and guests agreed that the university is entering a new era.

“Admissions are up, we now have a national board of governance, and we have selected a new president,” said Dr. Blair Stonechild of the university’s Indigenous Studies Department. “My sense is we are going through a renewal; it’s like the phoenix rising from the ashes.”

Stonechild, who is one of the longest serving faculty members, has been with FNUC since its humble beginnings. “I remember, the first office the college had in 1976 was a janitor’s storage room, but it expanded from there fairly quickly. Soon we were in different locations around the U of R campus, and then we spilled over into trailers and onto other locations around the city before we got our own building in 2003.”

The new building, designed by Douglas Cardinal, was to bring the vision of Indian higher education to a visible reality, but the dream was not achieved easily, said Stonechild, who was executive director of planning and development for the building project.

“The fundraising was very difficult because it happened during an economic recession. Faculty and staff were the first ones to donate to the fund, and then there were some other important donors. It took quite a while to reach our goal. The big breakthrough came when Ralph Goodale brought then Prime Minister Jean Chretien to tour the college. They were afraid he was going to fall through one part of the trailer because it was so creaky, so they repaired it before he came through.”

The prime minister’s visit created some momentum, and municipal, provincial and federal funding followed.
Stonechild said, to many people the construction of new building was an important milestone, as it was proof that the university was reaching its potential.

Over the institution’s 35 year existence, enrolment has gone from a mere 18 students in 1976 to nearly 1,400 today. FNUC now offers 200 courses which lead to diploma, undergraduate or graduate degrees through nearly 60 academic programs. The university has campuses in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert with satellite offices as far north as LaRonge; meanwhile it reaches students in outlying First Nations communities through televised and web-delivered courses.

The past five years revealed some of the institution’s weaknesses, especially in governance, said Stonechild. “Part of the challenge that is being faced right now is looking at where the university has been, where it is now, and how it wants to move forward to be most beneficial to the institution and all its stakeholders. The university is so unique; it is of national and international significance. We have a strategic planning committee in place to get a clear picture of what our mission is. If we can do that, I believe that over the next 35 years the institution can achieve the kind of greatness the original founders believed it could.”

According to students, part of what has made the university great is the support of the Elders, the dedication of the staff, and the academic calibre of the faculty.
“The faculty and staff who have worked here through the years have always been very committed to the university. They were here for a special reason, they believed in the place, its vision,” said Stonechild. “I think the new president will be really good for the university. He is entrepreneurial, high energy and very enthusiastic. That’s the kind of person we need.”

Dr. Doyle Anderson, FNUC’s new president, is originally from the Red Pheasant First Nation. He said he was drawn to return to FNUC because of its mission to uphold the treaty and Aboriginal rights of Indigenous people, and its strong sense of tradition. Anderson was assistant professor of business and director of the certificate in Indigenous Business Administration program at FNUC.
“I pay tribute to our Elders and our ancestors, whose vast traditional knowledge provides a foundation for all of this university’s programs and services. I pay tribute to the students and those who supported them in their campaign to save the First Nations University of Canada. Their passion for this university and for what it represents were a major factor in my decision to accept this position,” said Anderson in a news release.

Anderson’s credentials are impressive. He currently serves as executive director of the Indigenous Nations Institute and director of the Native American Business Administration program at Idaho State University.
Anderson holds a B.Sc. in environmental engineering, and completed the First Nations MBA and his PhD in First Nations business management and organizational analysis at the University of Saskatchewan.

Anderson will officially assume his duties as FNUC’s president on Aug. 2.