Indigenous faculty at York University push back on enrolment suspension

Indigenous faculty are calling on York University to reverse its decision to suspend enrolment in 18 degree programs in the fall of 2025, including Indigenous studies, gender and women's studies and environmental biology.

Angele Alook, a member of Bigstone Cree Nation in Alberta, is on the faculty at the School of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies and is also an Indigenous Caucus representative.

"I think the administration needs to immediately reverse its decision to suspend these programs because we've had a huge public outcry," said Alook.

Alook said the department has received dozens of letters of support from all over the world.

Alook said she and several other faculty learned the program enrolment was being suspended via an email sent on the Friday before Reading Week at 5 p.m. In spite of the break, she said they held emergency union and Indigenous council meetings.

An Indigenous framework exists at York, based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, Alook said. 

"We have a decolonization, equity, and diversity inclusion strategy," she said. 

"Decolonization is stated to be one of the principles of the institution, and Indigenous faculty and students feel like this is a violation of the decolonizing and Indigenizing efforts that we've been working so hard on for years."

Alook said she feels Indigenous students and faculty have lost trust in the administration and that this isn't the first time she's had to advocate for program resources.

Brock Pitawanakwat, who is Anishinaabe from Whitefish River First Nation in Ontario, is an associate professor and co-ordinator of the Indigenous Studies program.

Pitawanakwat said there's been a lack of transparency. 

"It was shocking because although we've been warned multiple times that York was facing a serious financial crunch due to provincial underfunding primarily, but also because of changes to international student visas by the Canadian federal government, there had not been any warning that program suspensions were one of the consequences or outcomes that our senior administration were considering," Pitawanakwat said.

He said he thinks the program suspensions are a shortsighted solution to managing the financial crisis.

"It's not going to grow the university, it's not going to increase our reputation, and it's certainly not going to lead to better outcomes for our students going forward," he said.

He said few students choose an Indigenous studies major straight out of high school but often migrate to the program after taking an elective. 

"I'm teaching three courses this semester. Two of those courses were overloaded where I had students clamouring to join the course and I was adding extra students when they were already full," he said.

Four senators at York University and a member of its academic planning and research committee are seeking a judicial review of the school's decision to suspend admissions to the affected undergraduate programs, arguing that York University's senate has jurisdiction over academic matters and suspending admissions to programs requires the senate's involvement and approval.

A spokesperson for the university has said in a statement it will be reviewing and responding to the judicial review application "in due course."

The spokesperson said enrolment in many of the suspended programs is low, but the university believes in the "intellectual value" of the programs and will support faculty members to revise and update them to attract more students.

York's Indigenous Council has requested a meeting this week with the president to address harms toward Indigenous students, faculty and staff.