In liaison with Fleming College and the Board of Governors, the Indigenous Education Council will create a strong Indigenous voice determinate of Indigenous cultural values and traditions, with responsibilities to further expand and improve Indigenous Education and broaden the Indigenous experience at Fleming College.
The Indigenous Education Council will assist and advise the College in identifying and articulating priorities for programs and services intended to increase the successful recruitment, retention and graduation of Indigenous students.
The Indigenous Education Council is committed to developing and supporting Indigenous education aspirations through curriculum, programs, services and research at Fleming College that meets the Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students, faculty and staff at Fleming College.
Authority for the governance of Fleming College rests with the Board of Governors. Council is linked to the Board of Governors through the College President, and to the academic and service areas through its College representatives.
In keeping with Ministry funding guidelines, Council serves as the primary advisory resource to the College community on matters relating to Indigenous education offerings and Indigenous support services. This framework includes open and pro-active dialogue in addition to mutual accountability and respect.
The work of Council is accommodated within the functional and structural organization of the College. The Vice-President Indigenous Knowledge & Relations has been named as the Executive Officer to Council and his/her assistant provides support in setting agendas, assembling/distributing meeting materials, scheduling meetings, attending the meetings to record the minutes, co-ordinate follow-up from meetings, etc.
The Indigenous Education Council is composed of individuals who are strategic thinkers, and who are recognized as leaders. Council will strive to maintain a diverse, inclusive process that well represents the Indigenous people of the Traditional & Treaty Territory that Fleming College is located on, including but not limited to a range of communities in urban and rural settings, First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples, educators, employers, entrepreneurs, community developers and advocates. Council will select individuals who possess indigenous wisdom in the area of environmental, cultural and spiritual knowledge, as well as language speakers.
In carrying out its vision, the Indigenous Education Council will pursue the following goals:
In addition to its stated goals, Council will:
The composition of Council reflects a diverse community, a combination of external and internal representatives. External or community members are representatives of an Indigenous group. Internal members are College representatives and are afforded the same rights and privileges as the external members. All named members demonstrate commitment through regular meeting attendance.
A maximum of eleven (11) external members:
A maximum of six (6) internal members:
Facilitating the work of Council are an Executive Officer and Resource members. These individuals receive materials, attend meetings, and provide advice and information to Council but are not considered in quorum or have voting privileges:
Council will establish an Appointments Committee (or a Nominating Committee) with responsibility for recommending the members for appointment and/or re-appointment. The nomination process is outlined in Appendix I.
The Council will be Co-Chaired by the VP Indigenous Knowledge & Relations (internal) and an elected external Chair. External Co-Chair and Vice Chair are elected in the spring every 2 years. Only the named external members of Council are eligible for nomination and to hold office. By-Annual elections will be made at the spring meeting for the positions of external Co-Chair and Vice-Chair, with the Chair term being a maximum of two (2) terms. Annual term of office for the Chair and Chair positions will be from August 1st to July 31st every 2nd year. The election process is outlined in Appendix II.
The Chair shall:
The Vice-Chair shadows the external Co-Chair role. In the absence of or inability to act as the external Co-Chair, the Vice-Chair performs the duties of the external Co-Chair.
Two business meetings per semester – a minimum of four meetings per academic year – will be scheduled and the dates published.
Agenda-setting meetings will occur two weeks prior to each scheduled Council meeting, attended by the Chair and/or Vice-Chair with appropriate College staff. Meeting materials shall be made available to Council at least five (5) business days in advance of the meeting. In keeping with the College’s commitment to sustainability, materials are provided in electronic format. Within two weeks of the meeting, Council members will be provided with a set of draft meeting minutes to assist with follow-up and future agenda planning.
Council may establish ad hoc committees or working groups as needed to address specific areas of interest; these special purpose groups have no decision-making authority and are dissolved once its findings have been reported back to Council. Council may invite non-Council members from the community and/or the College to participate on ad hoc committees or working groups.
Quorum is defined as half of the named membership plus one and requires five (5) of the external members to be in attendance.
Council meetings are semi-formal and follow standard procedural rules. Council will use consensus in reaching decisions. In this context, consensus is defined as a process whereby all members will speak on an issue and be heard; everyone present agrees with the decision or, when not in full agreement, can live with the decision. When consensus cannot be reached, Robert’s Rules of Order will apply.
Motions require a proposer, a seconder, and a vote. Voting will be based on votes cast by a show of hands. No member of Council may use a proxy or be represented by a proxy-holder. In the event of a tie vote, the Chair will cast a second and deciding vote.
Action will be consistent with the College’s policies on conflict of interest. Conflict of interest will be listed as an item on each meeting agenda. Members will be afforded the opportunity to declare conflict with respect to any agenda item or items at the beginning of a meeting, for discussion if needed.
A report on initiatives, activities and matters related to Indigenous education and Indigenous support services will be presented publicly to the Board of Governors each fall.
Council will review and approve Terms of Reference on an annual basis, typically at the spring meeting.
In liaison with Fleming College and the Board of Governors, the Indigenous Education Council will create a strong Indigneous voice determinate of Indigenous cultural values and traditions, with responsibilities to further expand and improve Indigenous Education and broaden the Indigenous experience at Fleming College.
The Indigenous Education Council will assist and advise the College in identifying and articulating priorities for programs and services intended to increase the successful recruitment, retention and graduation of Indigenous students.
The Indigenous Education Council is committed to developing and supporting Indigenous education aspirations through curriculum, programs, services and research at Fleming College that meets the Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students, faculty and staff at Fleming College.
Nominations
The external Co-Chair and Vice-Chair are elected by annually in the spring. Only the named external members of Council are eligible for nomination and to hold office. The term of office for the external Co-Chair and the Vice-Chair position is two years, beginning August 1 and ending on July 31 by-annually. The election process is outlined in Appendix II – Robert’s Rules of Orders.
The Indigenous Education Council is currently accepting nominations for the position of IEC Vice- Chair. If you would like to nominate a named external member, please email cindy.english@flemingcollege.ca with the Nominee name.
Fleming College’s Indigenous Education Council will follow the Robert’s Rules of Order, as provided in the excerpt below:
Robert’s Rule Of Orer
66. Nominations and Elections. Before proceeding to an election to fill an office it is customary to nominate one or more candidates. This nomination is not necessary when the election is by ballot or roll call, as each member may vote for any eligible person whether nominated or not. When the vote is viva voce or by rising, the nomination is like a motion to fill a blank, the different names being repeated by the chair as they are made, and then the vote is taken on each in the order in which they were nominated, until one is elected. The nomination need not be seconded. Sometimes a nominating ballot is taken in order to ascertain the preferences of the members. But in the election of the officers of a society it is more usual to have the nominations made by a committee. When the committee makes its report, which consists of a ticket, the chair asks if there are any other nominations, when they may be made from the floor. The committee’s nominations are treated just as if made by members from the floor, no vote being taken on accepting them. When the nominations are completed the assembly proceeds to the election, the voting being by any of the methods mentioned under Voting, [46], unless the by-laws prescribe a method. The usual method in permanent societies is by ballot, the balloting being continued until the offices are all filled. An election takes effect immediately if the candidate is present and does not decline, or if he is absent and has consented to his candidacy. If he is absent and has not consented to his candidacy, it takes effect when he is notified of his election, provided he does not decline immediately. After the election has taken effect and the officer or member has learned the fact, it is too late to reconsider the vote on the election. An officer-elect takes possession of his office immediately, unless the rules specify the time. In most societies it is necessary that this time be clearly designated.
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