Supporting the development of Indigenous Studies

Supporting the development of Indigenous Studies

Rajdeep Gill, Department of Interdisciplinary Expressive Arts - rajdeep.gill@kpu.ca

Supporting comprehensive decolonization in the Faculty of Arts, enhancing enrolment and retention of Indigenous students at KPU, supporting KPU Indigenous students, high-school and KPU partnership via AHSOC Contexts/committees include: I am currently setting up the ad-hoc decolonization committee for the Faculty of Arts, serve to work actively on decolonization and Indigenization efforts via Chairs and Faculty Council, work closely with your office + now also FSO and Ethan Semple to outreach to high schools, will be participating in the Indigenous student orientation this year and have done so multiple times. The decolonization committee in the Faculty of Arts will have both community and student involvement. Steve and Cheryl have also kindly invited me to be part of the Indigenous Advisory Committee.

I also have a very active relationship with Lekeyten in terms of class visits and engagement - he is a regular and transformative guest educator in my IDEA 1100 classes. I also worked with Len last semester to brainstorm guests and topics for the Talking Circle series - this has meant having Indigenous guest speakers both in my class as well as my class being able to come to wonderful talks at the Gathering Place during class time. When I organized a workshop at the teaching and learning symposium last year, I involved Indigenous students and faculty as presenters and facilitators. And, of course, I continue to have a reasonable number of AHSOC students in my IDEA 1100 courses - I really work hard to support these students and their aspirations and dreams.

Working with administration, faculty, staff, students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, on decolonization and Indigenization is woven into what I do at KPU.