Anyways, what this has to do with is of course the wonderful situation that has occurred at the First Nations University of Canada. I am of course a student there and while I would love to rehash with you folks about all that has gone on, I would prefer to actually hear from you about what you think about it. Because at this point I think my best bet is to be an observer.
So with that I will give you some highlights, in point form, of some of the highs and lows:
- Being in a meeting with board members and not having a single question answered. Questioning said board members about their communication and lack of leadership, getting the same old bullshit of 'trust us we know what we're doing,' and finding out the entire room agrees with my rather dark and dreary assessment.
- A trip to the Dakota Dunes Casino to attend the FSIN General Legislative Assembly. Finding out the system really isn't set up to work but being proud of my fellow students and being amazed at their leadership and abilities.
- Lying on my back all Thursday due to a migraine that threatened to split open my skull because all the stress and rage caught up with me.
- Listening to Grand Chief Guy Lonechild speak at the University and hoping for positive change.
- A few minutes alone with said Chief to explain what I felt was important.
- Being able to tell other students about a more inside view of what is going on.
- Being terribly frightened that we, the students and the faculty of the university, are being used by both sides (Provincial gov't and FSIN) as political pawns in a larger game where eventually we will be tossed aside and left to flounder about. Some hope that despite that we will pull it out because there really are some impressive students and staff at the FNUC.
So if you would be so kind, I have decided I need more points of view, and frames of reference. Please weigh in and tell me what you think about what you have heard from any source and give me your honest opinion. It would be greatly appreciated.
2 comments:
Okay.
There are only so many times you can say "I am only going to be a part of this arrangement if you uphold your end of the bargain." There are only so many "Just waits" one can tolerate.
The Provincial government *absolutely should have* pulled their financial support from FNUC. Five years ago, the Provincial government said, 'we're only going to give you this funding if you fix this thing', and FNUC said, "okay, we'll fix this thing."
But FNUC *didn't* fix it. For whatever reason. So now, the people in charge of not having fixed it are responsible for the loss of a chunk of funding.
Personally, I think the entire Board of Directors should be held liable for that loss of funding. But they probably have directors' liability insurance oozing out their butts.
It's unfortunate that the people who are responsbile for FNUC losing its funding (and for losing respectability among academics) are also going to be responsible for it losing *more* funding, and, most likely, academic accreditation. But, and I cannot stress this enough, this is what happens if you ignore regulations and directives put there for many Very Important Reasons. In Grandmother terms, they made their bed, and now they must lie in it.
They probably won't.
Probably, the buck will be passed and the students will suffer.
But. That's one of my thoughts.
A First Nations University is a tremendous asset to the First Nations community, and to Canada. I am assuming that it would promote study of these peoples, and their roles in Canada and in the world. That said, the University needs to be managed competently if it is to be regarded as more than, say a Bible College. Rules and Legislation exist so that people can say, "hey, here is an educated person with a unique and relevent take on the modern world", and not, "oh, great, another Indian School Grad."
I don't see FNUC being used as a pawn. I see the wrong people directing it, poisoning a valuable institution by their own greed and vanity.
I'm inspired by the students reactions to this mess. I'm made glad to hear that other institutions are lending help to make sure the school is eventually governed properly. The school deserved to lose its funding. And it will deserve its reinstatement when it is run properly.
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