Once enrolled, Indigenous students face a variety of barriers presented in the early stages of
their journey that can have long-term consequences to their future learning and completion
rates.[6] The barriers include inadequate financial assistance, inequitable academic preparation,
and policies and practices on campus that are not reflective of their diverse cultures and
contexts.[7] Experiences of racism, social isolation, and marginalization on campus are also
experienced by many Indigenous students.[8] For some students, obtaining education means
having to travel from geographically distant or fly-in communities, which poses its own
challenges.
For Afro-Indigenous students, challenges specific to their unique experiences as being both
Black and Indigenous may also arise in post-secondary spaces. Generally, Black students
confront many forms of anti-Black racism on campuses across the country.[9]Despite
intersectional histories, anti-Black racism due to settler colonialism can also be experienced
within Indigenous communities. This can happen when Indigenous community members
question the Indigenous ancestry of a mixed-race person or does not validate both their
identities simultaneously.[10]
Colleges and universities have made institutional commitments towards Indigenous
education, including infusing Indigenous content, establishing Indigenous-specific services and
spaces, seeking partnerships with Indigenous communities, and fostering an inclusive and
respectful environment where First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Afro-Indigenous students can
thrive.[11] The driving force behind this current research is:
How are colleges and universities doing in supporting Indigenous students? What supports
are in place for each phase of the students' journey? What could colleges and universities do
to remove
the barriers imposed on Indigenous students?
06
In order to further explore these questions, it becomes necessary to seek the perspectives of
staff and faculty from across Canada who work with Indigenous students...
[6] Jacqualine Ottman, "Canada's Indigenous Peoples' Access to Post-secondary Education: The Spirit of the 'New Buffalo'," in Indigenous Pathways, Transitions, and Participation in
Higher Education, eds. Jack Frawley, Steve Larkin and James A. Smith (New York: Sprinter Nature, 2017), 95-117.
[7] Ibid.
[8] "Post-secondary Experience of Indigenous Students Following the Truth and Reconciliation Commission", Indspire, September, 2018, https://indspire.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2019/10/PSE-Experience-Indigenous-Students-Survey-Summary-Sept2018.pdf.
[9]Kristin Moriah, "How Anti-Black Racism on Canadian University Campuses Robs Us All," The Conversation, July 2, 2020, https://theconversation.com/how-anti-black-racism-on-
canadian-university-campuses-robs-us-all-140927.
[10] Shelby Lisk, "Rallying Against Racism: How Black and Indigenous Communities can Come Together," TVO,June 12, 2020, https://www.tvo.org/article/rallying-against-racism-how-
black-and-indigenous-communities-can-come-together.
[11] "Indigenous Education", Colleges and Institutes Canada, accessed August 1, 2020, https://www.collegesinstitutes.ca/policyfocus/indigenous-learners/; "Universities Canada
Principles on Indigenous Education", Universities Canada, June 29, 2015, https://www.univcan.ca/media-room/media-releases/universities-canada-principles-on-indigenous-
education/.
