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Self-Identification
Indigenous opportunities for Indigenous people
At SFU, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive learning and working environment that honours Indigenous worldviews and ways of knowing and supports First Nations, Métis and Inuit students, faculty and staff who choose to study and work here.
Creating a culturally and historically informed identification process
Indigenous-specific scholarships, awards, programs, hiring opportunities and other supports from the university are integral for Indigenous members of the SFU community. To ensure supports and opportunities intended for Indigenous members of the SFU community are not misdirected, we are creating a more expanded, culturally and historically informed process of Indigenous identification that moves beyond self-identification.
Under the leadership of Chris Syeta’xtn Lewis (Squamish Nation), SFU's Indigenous Executive Lead and Dorothy Cucw-la7 Christian (Secwepemc and Syilx Nations), a working group was convened in 2023 to draft an Indigenous Welcoming procedure to support the Indigenous community at SFU.
Grounded in the guidance of the Walk this Path with Us report and subsequent Pathways Report, the procedure is intended as a respectful step on the path of Truth, Reconciliation and decolonization.
The working group is engaging with Indigenous community members to provide feedback on the draft procedure to further refine and guide First Nations, Métis and Inuit welcoming protocols.
Learn more about the expanded pathways
PATHWAY 1
Voluntary share Indigenous identity:
Available to students upon application for admission, and for Indigenous staff and faculty in positions not specifically targeted to Indigenous applicants.
PATHWAY 2
Eligibility protocol for Indigenous-specific awards, hiring opportunities, programs or recognition:
An expanded welcoming process for supports, or in considering suitability for a benefit being sought, that could include formal and alternative methods of confirming Indigenous heritage.
We recognize this expanded Indigenous welcoming procedure represents a significant shift in how Indigenous identity is currently shared and upheld at SFU. Indigenous peoples have the right to determine their own membership/citizenship in accordance with their governance, customs, traditions and procedures. Therefore, this procedure is not intended as a means for SFU to adjudicate the identity of Indigenous people, but to help welcome and hold up the Indigenous people at SFU.
The process of sharing lived experience is intended to be sensitive to the historical complexities that have shaped Indigenous identity across Turtle Island, respectful to the Indigenous community member’s privacy, and will take a positive approach that supports Indigenous applicants in telling their unique stories, in all their complexities and vibrancy.
Why it's important to share that you are Indigenous
Voluntary Indigenous self-declaration is available to students upon application for admission, and for Indigenous faculty and staff in positions not specifically targeted to Indigenous applicants. We recognize that self-declaration is a personal decision on the part of each individual.
Sharing Indigenous identity helps us stay connected with Indigenous students throughout their university journey and to provide additional supports, such as Indigenous financial assistance, and access to programs and services unique to Indigenous students' cultural and holistic worldviews. For faculty and staff, this information can help strengthen interdisciplinary communities of practice and cultural connections. We want to strive to create a home away from home.
Read our Aboriginal Admission Policy and learn more about self-identification for Indigenous students.