Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., is commencing consultations with Indigenous members of the school community on how it defines Indigeneity, especially when it comes to hiring practices.
This comes after an anonymous report was circulated this summer alleging six people linked to the school, including staff, may have falsified their Indigenous heritage.
A statement from the university released Tuesday said that school officials now understand that a certain “rigour associated with Indigenous identity” had not previously been prioritized in the administration.
The school says it will be going through a complete review to determine why such a process was not a “consistent priority” before the report came out.
Following the report, and intense criticism of the school, including an open letter signed by dozens of Indigenous scholars, Queen’s Principal Patrick Deane, in tandem with the school’s then-new chancellor Murray Sinclair, promised to change hiring practices when it came to Indigenous applicants.
Sinclair noted that self-identification of Indigeneity is no longer an acceptable practice in hiring, and that the school will effort to improve its processes in the future.
The consultation on how exactly that will come to pass will start in November and last into December.
“These are not easy discussions to undertake but are important to help foster a healthy community and relationships at Queen’s,” said Kanonhsyonne Janice Hill, the school’s associate vice-principal of Indigenous initiatives and reconciliation.
She said it will be the school’s goal to ensure further actions taken by the university are led by Indigenous voices.
Along with Ottawa-based consulting firm, First Peoples Group, the school’s office of Indigenous initiatives will be holding meetings with Indigenous university members and school stakeholders, as well as seeking online feedback from members of the Indigenous community.