U of S, Metis Nation of Saskatchewan sign accord

SASKATOON The University of Saskatchewan will work with the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan (MNS) to keep making the school more welcoming to Indigenous students.

U of S president Peter Stoicheff and MN-S president Glen Mccallum signed a memorandum of understanding Monday at a ceremony on the university campus.

Stoicheff said the MOU underscores the school’s commitment to improving “university education access, relevance and achievement of Metis people and their communities within the university.”

The agreement is meant to encourage Metis presence in the student body and among staff and faculty.

The memorandum also encourages Metis-specific programming and research.

Mccallum, while praising Monday’s

agreement, cited prominent Metis connections with the U of S. He pointed to James Mckay, a lawyer and member of the school’s first board of governors, and Howard Adams, a Metis leader who also taught in the university’s department of native studies.

“With continued community partnering, such as today’s announcement with the University of Saskatchewan, Metis youth can confidently follow the examples set by individuals like James Mckay, Howard Adams and other Metis leaders, thinkers and achievers.”

The U of S noted in a news release that its enrolment for 2018-19 includes 3,320 Indigenous students.

The school reported having 217 self-identified Indigenous employees on campus in 2019.