First Nations Council (FNC)
Coast Mountain College's First Nations Council was established in 1996, in response to the Stepping Stones to Improved Relationships Action Plan. FNC has members representing the 27 First Nations communities in the Coast Mountain College region, including First Nations Bands and Indigenous organizations.
The mandate of the advisory council is: “to regularly liaise with and advise the College with respect to First Nations education and student support issues, initiatives and aspirations”. Communication links have been implemented through regular reports from the Chair of FNC to the Board of Governors. FNC’s focus is to develop policy recommendations based on the educational issues and strategies of First Nations communities to assist in increasing student success rates within the region.
FNC policy recommendations focus on student advocacy, program promotion, curriculum design, cultural issues and content, program and education service evaluation, and assist Coast Mountain College in improving relationships with First Nations communities in the Northwest region. The Stepping Stones to Improved Relationships Action Plan goals and objectives are a standing agenda item at FNC meetings. CMTN employees, particularly the Indigenous Relations and Executive Advisor to the President, the Associate Dean, Aboriginal Learning Transformation, the Dean of the Centre of Learning Transformation, and the First Nations Access Coordinators, regularly attend meetings and work collaboratively with the committee.
First Nations Council meets face-to-face regularly, providing an opportunity for Coast Mountain College to collect feedback and collaborate with the 27 First Nations. In 2016, the committee implemented FNC Community-based meetings, where all members go to specific First Nations communities to have the meetings and learn about the culture and heritage of the hosts. Coast Mountain College administratively supports the work of the FNC by assigning certain council duties to the Executive Assistant to the Board and to the President’s Office. These include: coordinating attendance, travel costs and reimbursements, catering, meeting minutes, and ensuring correspondence is shared.
Learn more about Coast Mountain College's First Nations Council.
Representation on the Board of Governors (BOG)
The College and Institute Act states that the composition of the Board of Governors will consist of 14 members. In 2012 it was mandated that at least one of these members be a First Nations representative.
Learn more about Coast Mountain College's Board of Governors.
Representation on the Education Council (EdCo)
Education Council (EdCo) is the advisory body to the Coast Mountain College Board of Governors on major institution wide issues and educational policy. EdCo assists the College in achieving its mission of creating “positive futures through quality learning experiences in an inclusive and respectful environment.” EdCo members include both elected and appointed representatives of the administration, support staff , faculty, and student body. Ex-officio (non-voting) members include the CMTN President and the First Nations Council Chair.
In order to emphasize Coast Mountain College’s commitment to supporting Indigenous student success and our collaboration with local First Nations communities, EdCo recently updated the course outline template for all new courses to include this statement:
“All Coast Mountain College courses acknowledge the traditional lands upon which we teach. Our classes support the First Peoples Principles of Learning and recognize the relationship between the traditional cultures of our region and success of our students. We strive to provide an inclusive learning environment that respects diversity, tradition, and the values of each individual.”
All new programs or program changes which come to EdCo are first considered for approval at a meeting of the Aboriginal, Course, Program Articulation Committee (ACPAC).
Learn more about Coast Mountain College's Education Council.
Articulation and Curriculum Committee (ACC)
Articulation and Curriculum Committee (ACC)
The Articulation and Curriculum Committee (ACC) is an advisory committee that makes recommendations to support the development, review, and articulation of curriculum and program requirements across Coast Mountain College. The College is committed to infusing Indigenous knowledge systems into courses and programs and integrating the First Peoples Principles of Learning. ACC provides detailed evaluation of curricula and programs, including reviewing the processes used to reflect the cultural distinctiveness of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples in Canada, with particular attention to the Ts’msyen, Haisla, Nisg̱a’a, Haida, Gitx̱san, and Witsuwit’en Nations. ACC’s work is supported through the Centre for Learning Transformation (COLT) to ensure effective integration of Indigenous perspectives and pedagogy. The committee also recommends curricula and programs to Education Council (EdCo) for approval.
ACC includes representation from the First Nations Council (FNC) to ensure Indigenous perspectives are integrated into curriculum decisions. Meetings are held monthly, with options for remote participation, and all motions are reported to EdCo in accordance with EdCo bylaws.
Learn more about Coast Mountain College's Articulation and Curriculum Committee.