The Indigenous Education Council is an advisory body to the President and Vice-Chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University and the senior management team. The council will assist Laurier in meeting its Values, Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles as it pertains to our interactions with, and inclusiveness of Indigenous peoples.

Laurier’s Academic Plan (2010-2015) recognizes the unique heritages of Indigenous peoples and supports the intentions of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples to preserve and express their distinctive Indigenous cultures, histories and knowledge through academic programming and co-curricular activities.

Laurier Brantford’s Strategic Plan (2012) states “Our Indigenous community, specifically the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississauga of the New Credit, are important partners in the achievement of educational outcomes and in support of intellectual, social and cultural development of our First Nations Students.”

The Laurier Indigenous Education Council (IEC) has been created to promote a positive educational experience and success of Indigenous students at Laurier.

The IEC is committed to developing and supporting Indigenous educational aspirations through curriculum, programs, services and research at Laurier that meets the needs of both the Indigenous student and enhances the education of non-Indigenous students, faculty and staff at Laurier.

The IEC will assist and advise Laurier in identifying and articulating priorities for programs and services intended to increase the successful recruitment, retention and graduation of Indigenous students, Indigenous staff and faculty.

The Council will provide informed advice in decision making regarding priorities for allocation of government and institutional funding for Indigenous Initiatives.

The IEC will function on the understanding and principle that Indigenous people can best define how to successfully fulfil the Terms of Reference contained in this document and will work diligently with Laurier personnel to achieve this end.

The IEC will, as part of its function, help to fulfil the condition for community engagement required by the Province of Ontario’s Post-Secondary Education Training and Action Plan funding in support of Indigenous student initiatives.

Full complement of 19 members shall be as follows:

• Co-chair: President and Vice Chancellor (as alternate, Senior Executive Officer, Brantford Campus
• Co-chair: Indigenous Community representative
• Vice President: Student Affairs (or designate)
• Laurier’s Senior Advisor: Indigenous Initiatives
• Representative from Indigenous Field of Study, Masters of Social Work program
• Representative from the Laurier Brantford Indigenous Study program
• Two Indigenous Student Services representatives one from Brantford, one from Waterloo
• Indigenous Laurier Staff person
• Three Laurier Indigenous student representatives, at least one graduate student, at least one undergraduate student from Brantford and from the Waterloo campus. This term is annual for students.
• Two Indigenous community organization representatives
• Four Indigenous community representatives, once of which will chair alternate meetings.
• Elder

Meetings to be set/organized by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and agendas will be set with input requested from the council a minimum of two weeks prior to scheduled meetings.

The Laurier Indigenous Education Council (IEC) shall normally meet three times per year or as deemed necessary. Other meetings may be held at the call of both co-chairs.

Quorum is 2/3 – 13 of 19 members.

The specific calendar dates will be set for the next academic year.

Laurier shall provide administrative services and meeting expenses for the IEC and its committees, for the purpose of developing minutes, space agendas and materials for IEC meetings. At the request of members, travel expenses will be reimbursed; travel claims can be submitted to the Senior Advisor by email.

Chairing of meetings will alternate between the two co-chairs, one of whom is an Indigenous community representative member selected by the Indigenous members of the Council. The other co-chair is the President of Laurier (or designate).

Students: Annual (one graduate and one undergrad from each campus)

Chairs: Two years (maximum two consecutive terms)

Members should make every effort to attend scheduled meetings. When conflicts or unforeseen circumstances arise, members should, whenever possible, designate an alternate who will attend for them if necessary. If a member fails to attend three consecutive meetings they may be asked to resign.

Minutes of each meeting will be kept, including discussion summaries, action items, and consensus decisions.

Visitors may attend council meetings, special guests may be invited to make presentations. Presentations will be made in a timely manner. There will be a limitation of time at presentations.

Decision-making will be by consensus. Only those who are identified members of the Council shall participate in deliberations.

To identify a consensus, the meeting chair will state the decisions as s/she understands it for the record.

In the case where there is not a clear consensus, the meeting chair should first ask every delegate in attendance to state her/his opinion on the subject at hand. If no consensus exists, the meeting chair may defer the decision until the next meeting.