HEALTH & WELLNESS
Scrolling through my feed on LinkedIn, as I do on
As a professor, we are not always able to see the level of
a regular basis, I get to see the incredible accomplish-
our engagement with online learning. Half the battle
ments and happenings of colleagues and friends from
is connecting the idea or theory you are presenting. I
around the globe. During the spring, likely while we
look to my students’ eyes and body language for feed-
were all still on lockdown, I saw a wonderful announce-
back on their understanding of my lectures.” She has a
ment that made me smile ear to ear. I came across a
vision for her three-year term, especially as she winds
notification from Dr. Judith Sayers, President of the
down with one more year on her Presidency term with
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, that Vancouver Island
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.
University was appointing her as Chancellor of VIU in 2020.
With the inclusiveness transformation that we are seeing in education today, and Indigeni-
WELLNESS ARTIST DR JUDITH SAYERS KE A L Y DON ALDSON Sayers noted how surprised and excited she was to receive this special recognition and honourary position; her family supported the op-
zation of universities and post secondary institutions, a balance is coming closer to a better representation of the student body as a whole. “I see the transformation as a pathway with
portunity and she was ready and open to new
communication and strong educational teams being a
experiences.
part of this change," she says. "When we review the im-
Since 2017, Sayers has been the President for Nuuchah-nulth Tribal Council, which is comprised of 14 First Nations representing approximately 10,000 in-
pacts of First Nation colonization, it is important that this inclusiveness is taught with a solid understanding of what systemic racism is.
digenous peoples. Sayers has a great deal of experi-
Examples of this are seen daily in social work through
ence to share through her new appointment at VIU,
Indigenous Law in our Justice System. How do we
which has been gained through the governance of
introduce change through education and students?
her people and the roles she has held, from Adjunct
By using traditional stories and oral teachings which
Professor to Vice Chair in Law and Indigenous Stud-
transpose different systems for governance; there are
ies to Legislative Chief of the Hupacasath First Na-
many ways of creating acceptance under new stan-
tion; she also practices Law in both British Columbia
dards or historic teachings."
and Alberta.
Sayers and her daughter set precedent by changing
Sayers is looking forward to playing a big role at VIU
an accepted academic standard through her daugh-
and wants to focus on innovative learning methods,
ter’s law-based comps research. At that time, there was
anti-racism and the overall student ‘university’ experi-
no indigenous literature on the academic reading list
ence. Through her own educational journey in Indige-
which hosted over 100 English-based books. It was a
nous Law, she reflects on her time as a new lawyer and
fight for change but in the end, they won with a new
knows there is more to build upon through practicality
added list of 60+ Indigenous authors. “We have to cre-
in academia. “It brings an opportunity to create a more
ate acceptance and lead by example” noted Sayers.
pleasurable and grounding experience for students,” Sayers says. “With VIU as a destination for North and
When looking to the future, Sayers will continue to ad-
Central Vancouver Island students, we know that differ-
vocate for the rights and futures of Indigenous com-
ent teaching formats need to be implemented to make
munities and people and assist in developing additional
education a relevant experience for all.
ways for Indigenous Nation-to-Nation governance.
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