College of the Rockies is committed to advancing Indigenization, reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging throughout the institution.
This work is guided by the College’s Indigenization Strategy, EDI Plan, and Accessibility Plan, and informed by relationships with Indigenous communities, students, employees, and advisory bodies.
Together, these frameworks help guide change across teaching and learning, policies and practices, student and employee experiences, accessibility, community relationships, and the spaces in which we learn and work.
The Office of Indigenization & Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion provides leadership and coordination for this work while collaborating with areas across the College to turn these commitments into action.
Indigenization, EDI, and accessibility are College-wide responsibilities. While the Office of I-EDI provides leadership, coordination, expertise, and support, meaningful progress depends on participation and action across departments and throughout the institution.
The College’s Forward Together: Indigenization Strategy provides a framework for advancing Indigenization and reconciliation across the institution.
The strategy identifies five areas of focus:
- Governance and Policy
- Teaching and Learning
- Student Supports and Services
- Employee Recruitment and Development
- Facilities and Cultural Presence
The strategy helps guide priorities and actions across the College and supports our ongoing relationships with Indigenous communities and partners.
Read the Forward Together Indigenization Strategy
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The College’s EDI Plan guides our work to create more equitable, inclusive, and welcoming environments for students and employees.
The plan helps the College identify and address barriers, strengthen belonging and participation, and embed equity, diversity, and inclusion more intentionally into College practices, programs, and decision-making.
Read the EDI Plan
The College’s Accessibility Plan guides our work to identify, remove, and prevent barriers for people with disabilities.
Accessibility is an important part of creating an equitable and inclusive College. The plan supports ongoing improvements to the environments, services, communications, learning opportunities, and experiences of students, employees, and community members.
Accessibility is a shared responsibility across the College, with the Office of I-EDI supporting broader institutional accessibility priorities and helping connect this work with the College’s EDI commitments.
Read the Accessibility Plan
Indigenous Advisory Committee
The Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) brings together representatives from the Indigenous communities and organizations that College of the Rockies works in relationship with, along with College leadership.
The committee includes representatives from:
- ʔaq̓am
- Yaqan Nukiy (Lower Kootenay Band)
- ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation
- Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡiʔit (Tobacco Plains Indian Band)
- Shuswap Band
- Rocky Mountain Métis Association
- Ktunaxa Nation Council
College representatives include the President, the Executive Director of Indigenization & Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and other College leaders.
The IAC provides an important forum for relationship-building, dialogue, and guidance between the College and its Indigenous partners. Members help inform Indigenous education priorities and initiatives and provide oversight and approval for projects supported through provincial Indigenous education funding that require Indigenous community partnership.
The committee grew out of the College’s Making Space at College of the Rockies engagement process, which centred conversations with Indigenous partners about their priorities, experiences, and recommendations for strengthening the College’s relationships and work with Indigenous communities. One of the recommendations that emerged from that process was the creation of an Indigenous Advisory Committee to provide an ongoing forum for Indigenous partners and College leadership to work together.
The College’s EDI Advisory Committees are spaces for connection, community, and belonging. They bring together students and employees who share experiences or identities and create opportunities to build relationships, celebrate community, and contribute to a more welcoming College. Current committees include spaces focused on accessibility, Black community, LGBTQ2S+ community, South Asian community, and women’s experiences.
Committees may organize social activities, gatherings, celebrations, learning opportunities, and other initiatives that strengthen connection and visibility across the College. They also provide a way for members to share ideas about activities, initiatives, and changes that could support greater inclusion and belonging.
If you’re interested in getting involved with one of the EDI Advisory Committees, contact the Office of I-EDI at indigenous@cotr.bc.ca to learn more.
The EDI Council brings together representatives from the EDI Advisory Committees to help connect EDI priorities across the institution.
The Council provides a space to share perspectives, identify common themes, discuss priorities, and advise the Office of I-EDI on College-wide EDI initiatives.
Together, the EDI Advisory Committees and EDI Council help ensure that the College’s EDI work is informed by the experiences and perspectives of the communities it is intended to serve.
Putting Our Commitments Into Action
Strategies and plans provide direction, but the work happens across the College.
Indigenization, EDI, and accessibility can be seen in curriculum and teaching, student supports, employee learning, community partnerships, events and observances, policies and practices, hiring and recruitment, physical and digital spaces, and the everyday experiences of students and employees.
The Office of I-EDI works with areas throughout College of the Rockies to help turn these commitments into meaningful and sustained action.
