PRESS RELEASE – for immediate release
October 7, 2021
Sudbury – The University of Sudbury is pleased to announce that it is fulfilling the commitment made by the Board of Governors on March 11, 2021, to find a solution “By, for and with” the Indigenous population of the Northeastern Ontario regarding Indigenous Studies. by signing an Agreement with Kenjgewin Teg located in M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island (Mnidoo Mnising).
Pursuant to the agreement, the University of Sudbury has transferred its intellectual property in certain Indigenous Studies online courses that were previously offered by its Indigenous Studies Department to Kenjgewin Teg. Kenjgewin Teg intends to provide northern students and communities with a high-quality education in Indigenous studies that is managed by and for Indigenous peoples. To do so, Kenjgewin Teg intends to develop Indigenous studies programming and to open a campus at the University of Sudbury.
For University of Sudbury President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Serge Miville, the agreement reflects the university’s values of collaboration, partnership and commitment: “This is a historic gesture of reconciliation and empowerment, which respects the autonomy of Indigenous peoples. That is why we are proud of our agreement with Kenjgewin Teg.”
Kenjgewin Teg President, Stephanie Roy, emphasizes the reconciliatory nature of the University of Sudbury’s action: “This agreement is a gesture of reconciliation by the University of Sudbury with Indigenous peoples. It is a concrete, constructive and bold action that goes beyond symbolic gestures and words and recognizes the legitimacy of our communities to manage our education.”
About the University of Sudbury and Kenjgewin Teg
The University of Sudbury is the oldest French-language postsecondary institution in the province of Ontario. In 1975, the very first Franco-Ontarian flag raising took place at the University of Sudbury. The institution holds a secular and provincial university charter and is resolved to pursue its renewed mandate as a French-language University institution governed “by, for and with” the Francophone community.
The University of Sudbury recognizes that it is located within the territory designated in the Robinson-Huron Treaty and that the lands on which it is established are part of the traditional lands of the Atikameksheng Anishnaabeg and the Wahnapitae First Nation.
Kenjgewin Teg is located on Mnidoo Mnising (Manitoulin Island, ON) and is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium in Ontario providing Indigenous culturally relevant community-based access and lifelong learning for adult post-secondary students.
For more information:
University of Sudbury, Elise Leblanc: ex_leblanc@usudbury.ca
Kenjgewin Teg, Beverley Roy: beverleyroy@kenjgewinteg.ca