Research chair in Métis studies established at U of S
- NC Raine | April 27, 2018
Metis Studies and students in Saskatchewan are receiving a significant boost with the establishment of the Gabriel Dumont Research Chair in Metis Studies and Gabriel Dumont Graduate Scholarships in the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S).
The new, five year initiatives come by way of a partnership between the U of S and Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research (GDI). The Arts and Science College is currently without a faculty member specializing in Metis teaching and research, as such, the new chair position capacity in those areas as well as further develop academic engagement between the U of S and GDI.
“Whether at home or away from home, it has never been more important for Metis people to reconnect and rediscover their own cultures,” said Jacqueline Ottmann, VP of Indigenous Engagement at the U of S during Thursday's announcement. “I'm proud to say that the University of Saskatchewan is steadfastly committed to achieving this important element of our identity as the journey of truth and reconciliation continues.”
GDI will contribute $200,000 over five years to fund the new chair's research initiatives. The position, as explained by Dr. Dirk de Boer, Department Head of Geography and Planning, will include: teaching halftime to pursue research and facilitating research amongst Metis communities, supervising graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in Metis Studies, updating existing Metis courses and creating new Metis specific undergraduate and graduate courses, working to increase the capacity for Metis Studies at the U of S, and disseminating to academic and Metis communities through public lectures, workshops, and conferences.
“The Gabriel Dumont Research Chair in Metis Studies will not only be an example of what Metis students can expect to learn, but also an example of what they can achieve and how they can influence others,” said Ottmann.
GDI will also contribute $100,000, which will be matched by the College of Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies at the U of S, to create two annual awards of $20,000 each.
Of the 24,000 students at the U of S, over 3,000 identify as Indigenous, with more than 40% of those identifying as Metis.
“The new initiatives not only build on a long-standing relationship between our two organizations (...) but they also create more opportunities for Metis students, increase Metis cultural engagement at Saskatchewan's largest university, and enhance research collaboration between the College of Arts and Science and the Metis community,” said Earl Cook, Minister of Education for the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan and Chair of the GDI Board of Governors.
The search for the Metis Chair will begin shortly, with a proposed start date of early 2019. The first scholarships will be given during the 2018/19 academic year, with preference given to graduate students to identify as Metis.