INTRODUCTION

Aboriginal people in Canada encompass hundreds of communities with diverse cultures, languages, as well as governance structures and treaty agreements. According to the 2006 Census, there were more than one million self-identified Aboriginal peoples in Canada, representing 3.8 percent of the total Canadian population. This population increased by 6 times the rate of non-Aboriginal people over the period 1996–2006, and about half of the Aboriginal population was under the age of 24. It is projected that the Aboriginal population will grow at twice the rate of the total population in Canada to 4.1 percent by 2017. While post-secondary enrolment and attainment rates have grown substantially over recent decades among this segment of the population, particularly within the non-university sector, equity of access remains a significant challenge. Eliminating the education gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners has become a key educational priority of The Council of Ministers of Education in Canada, governments, and institutions. A SEM Works' white paper titled Creating a Sense of Belonging: Strategies for Enhancing Student Diversity and Success explored recent research and associated strategies for addressing issues of access, persistence, and completion of non-traditional populations.

This e-newsletter presents exemplary initiatives at select Canadian institutions and across the regions in serving the specific needs of Aboriginal students, as well as recent research and resources that may inform institutional recruitment and retention efforts.

 Exemplary Initiatives Related to Aboriginal Recruitment and Retention

• Nipissing University - As part of the Aboriginal Student Links project, Aboriginal students at Nipissing University will visit local high schools on a weekly basis to meet with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis students, encouraging them to complete high school and go on to PSE. The Aboriginal Student Links project is a 3-year initiative with funding provided by the Ontario government. See article. See also.
• University of Manitoba –The University of Manitoba has Elders-in-Residence who support, connect and help students transition to university life. It is a unique position and the first of its kind in Canada. See website.
• Simon Fraser University – The Aboriginal University prep program includes foundation courses in university-level reading and writing, mathematics, science, and indigenous knowledge in the modern world. See website.
• Okanagan College - The College hosts an interactive online recruitment video targeting Aboriginal students. The video allows users to navigate through a day in the life of Marlaina Alton, a first-year Aboriginal student at the college. See article and video.
• BC institutions sign new Aboriginal business education accord - Business deans from 22 colleges and universities across BC gathered at the University of British Columbia to sign the Ch'nook Business Education Accord, which will work with a number of advocates and supporters to raise Aboriginal awareness and interest in post-secondary business education. The accord will see business program deans working with the Ch'nook Aboriginal Advisory Council to pursue this mandate province-wide. See article.
• College Boreal -Officials with Collège Boréal and the Métis Nation of Ontario signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to increase PSE participation among Métis individuals. The agreement will also allow Métis people to participate in developing practices and policies regarding Aboriginal teaching at Boréal. The agreement includes exposing students and staff to the history, culture, and contemporary issues of Métis in the province. See article.
• Lakehead University - launched an alumni chapter for its Aboriginal graduates. Eventually the university will set up an outreach program linking Aboriginal alumni with others interested in pursuing PSE opportunities or specific careers. See article.
• York University - York University graduate students can complete and defend a thesis or dissertation in an Aboriginal language, making the school the first in Canada to officially sanction graduate work in a language other than English and French. See article.
• University of Alberta - Aboriginal Student Services Centre host an E-newsletter. See newsletter.

  Research and Reports

• The Gifts Within: Carrying Each Other Forward in Aboriginal Education - This book edited by Rebecca Priegert Coulter explores Aboriginal education from the perspectives of those who work within it. The book covers a range of topics relevant to discussions about First Nation education in Canada today and is written in an accessible style by educators for teachers, parents and others interested in the education of Aboriginal children and youth. Read more.
• The State of Aboriginal Learning in Canada: A Holistic Approach To Measuring Success - This report by the Canadian Council on Learning presents a unique vision of learning among Aboriginal Canadians that extends well beyond the classroom, incorporating learning from family, community, languages, traditions, and cultures. See report.
• Investing in Aboriginal Education in Canada: An Economic Perspective - Improving educational outcomes for Aboriginals in Canada is the most effective means to alleviate Aboriginal marginalization and poverty, argue the authors of two technical papers on the issue commissioned by Canadian Policy Research Networks. See report.
• Lessons in Learning: Post-secondary education in Canada: Who is Missing Out... The Canadian Council on Learning's third annual report on the state of post- secondary education in Canada provides a detailed analysis of access to ...Trends in First Nations Education. See report.
• The State of the First Nation Economy and the Struggle to make Poverty History: According to this 2009 report from the Assembly of First Nations, Aboriginals in Canada have made significant improvements in education and employment in the last decade, especially if they reside in an urban area. See report.
• The Council of Ministers of Education , Canada (CMEC), in collaboration with the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation , released a literature review in 2008 called "FACTORS AFFECTING THE USE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS BY ABORIGINAL YOUTH". See report.
• The cultural divide in science education for Aboriginal learners - A clash of cultures and viewpoints is discouraging young Aboriginal people from pursuing science and engineering education. Fundamental differences between Western science and the way Aboriginal people view the world may be a key reason for Aboriginal people to refrain from studying in science and engineering. This article from CCL's Lessons in Learning series was first published in February 2007. See article.

  UPCOMING SEM EVENTS

"SEMM Forums (SEM and Marketing) in Canada" - Gain indispensable knowledge and learn valuable best practices while networking with some of Canada's top experts at the Strategic Enrolment Marketing & Management Forum 2010.

The SEMM Forum is your opportunity to:

• explore post secondary enrolment trends and challenges
• learn strategies to create an effective brand
• discover effective front-line recruiting tactics
• examine emerging technologies affecting student recruitment
• understand the Millennials and how to connect with them

The SEMM Forum will provide you with the intensive training and exchange of ideas you need to succeed. Visit the website to register at a location near you http://www.semmforum.ca/home.htm

• Calgary SEMM Forum (April 20)
• Toronto SEMM Forum (Apr 22 - 23)

As a sponsor of the SEMM Forum program, SEM Works is pleased to offer you the opportunity to save $50 by registering with this special discount code: SMK4

Boston SEMM Forum , April 8, 2010, Boston, Massachusetts

SunGard Conference, April 11-12, 2010, San Francisco, California

Colleges Ontario Conference May 18-19, 2010 in Ontario, Canada

NISOD's 32nd Annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence May 30-June 2, 2010 in Austin, Texas

Learn why NISOD's annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence has been the largest conference for the past three years to focus on community colleges. The NISOD conference celebrates excellence and provides a unique professional development opportunity for faculty, staff, and administrators at colleges and universities to foster student success.

Small College Enrolment Conference, July 11-14, 2010, Orlando, Florida

Noel-Levitz National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention, July 21-23, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia