Indigenous Priorities Action Committee

FAUW's Indigenous Priorities Action Committee (IPAC)* is a member-led group that advocates for changes at the University of Waterloo to improve the experiences of Indigenous faculty, staff, and students. It is open to faculty members who are Indigenous, settlers, arrivants, visitors, or who have other relationships to this land. Our agenda is driven by relationships to members of the Indigenous community at Waterloo and the priorities they express.

Our current priorities include:

  • Advocating for the upcoming cluster hires to follow good practices and for changes required to make the University a welcoming place for new Indigenous faculty.
  • Directly supporting new Indigenous faculty as they go through the hiring process and adjust to Waterloo.

Contact Laura McDonald or any member of the committee for more information, to get involved, or if your department wants support preparing for new Indigenous faculty members.

*Previously the Indigenization Working Group. We hope this new name better reflects both the work and the composition of the group.

IPAC mailing list

Get news and events related to Indigenous initiatives and priorities, from FAUW and elsewhere. Sign up here:

Committee mandate

1. Build relationships and support the work of Indigenous people and groups

We will collaborate with and act as a resource to Indigenous faculty members, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, the Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre, the Indigenous Students’ Association, and other Indigenous community members and groups on the Waterloo campus, at other universities, and in the broader community, by:

  • Being available to Indigenous faculty and Indigenous leadership for information and insight about FAUW, faculty terms of employment, and university governance structures.
  • Promoting and participating in Indigenous activities on campus and throughout the Region of Waterloo.
  • Writing letters of support, when appropriate.
  • Sharing emerging issues via the FAUW blog and newsletter.
  • Amplifying statements and initiatives coming out of the CAUT Aboriginal Forum, the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA), the World Indigenous Peoples' Conference on Education (WIPCE), the Canadian Indigenous Science and Engineering Society (CAISES), and other Indigenous-led academic organizations and networks.

2. Advocate for changes at the University level

We will focus on improving Indigenous faculty working conditions, including:

  • Advocating for the FAUW Board of Directors to negotiate changes to the Memorandum of Agreement or University policies, such as adding language about Indigenous research, service, representation at the level of dean, and teaching.
  • Advocating directly to the University as faculty members.
  • Supporting faculties and departments in their work to incorporate and retain Indigenous faculty, particularly in preparing for cluster hiring.
  • Sharing in-progress best practices for hiring Indigenous faculty.

3. Educate and support FAUW members

We will engage in FAUW member education initiatives that build and mobilize member support in service of our advocacy efforts, including:

  • Encouraging FAUW members to participate in existing training opportunities related to Indigenization and Indigenous knowledge.
  • Advocating for more training to be made available through faculty professional development avenues (e.g., the Office of Research, the Academic Leadership Program).
  • Hosting a Reading Circle in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 62.
  • Facilitating institutional mentorship for Indigenous faculty.
  • Advocating for the needs of Indigenous scholarship, teaching, and learning.
  • Providing resources about Indigenous students’ experiences, including the importance and nuances of mentoring Indigenous students.

4. Mobilize changes within FAUW

As the FAUW membership diversifies, we will investigate and recommend changes within the Faculty Association itself to better engage and support Indigenous members, as such needs arise.