UVic Appoints First Director for New Office of Indigenous Affairs
The University of Victoria has appointed Frances (Fran) Hunt-Jinnouchi as the first Director of its new Office of Indigenous Affairs. Both the office and position are unique among BC universities and reinforce UVic’s strong commitment to Indigenous education.
“I feel we are on the threshold of an incredible movement at UVic and I’m looking forward to assisting in the process,” says Hunt-Jinnouchi, who puts building relationships with Indigenous students and partnering with Vancouver Island’s Aboriginal communities at the top of her priority list.
UVic’s Associate Vice-President Academic and Student Affairs Jim Anglin says, “Hunt-Jinnouchi will play a key and influential role in developing UVic policy. UVic has created an office that is situated at the heart of the administrative structure. As founding director, Fran will work on a daily basis with both academic and support service leaders across the campus, will sit at the key tables where policies are formulated and programs developed, and will assist with the implementation of new and ongoing Indigenous educational initiatives.”
Hunt-Jinnouchi brings to the role diverse experience in Indigenous education. She was director of the Saanich Adult Education Centre for seven years before becoming acting principal of the K’ak’ot’latsi School in Quatsino, near Port Hardy and being elected chief of the Quatsino First Nation last year. She has served on several high profile provincial and national boards and committees, and was founding chair of the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association. She is a graduate of UVic’s School of Social Work and completed her Master’s of Adult Education at St. Francis Xavier University.
Through her professional experience, Hunt-Jinnouchi has seen the landscape of Indigenous education evolve. “We’ve come a long way over the last few decades,” she says. “Twenty years ago the goal was to get more Indigenous students to attend university. Now, as more are graduating from undergraduate studies, we need specific graduate level Indigenous programs to further their education and to provide critical research for Indigenous community development.”
The Office of Indigenous Affairs replaces the former Aboriginal Liaison Office, and has an expanded role and mandate in keeping with the University’s goal to be the university of choice for Indigenous students. Currently, there are an estimated 600 Indigenous students enrolled at UVic.
“I feel we are on the threshold of an incredible movement at UVic and I’m looking forward to assisting in the process,” says Hunt-Jinnouchi, who puts building relationships with Indigenous students and partnering with Vancouver Island’s Aboriginal communities at the top of her priority list.
UVic’s Associate Vice-President Academic and Student Affairs Jim Anglin says, “Hunt-Jinnouchi will play a key and influential role in developing UVic policy. UVic has created an office that is situated at the heart of the administrative structure. As founding director, Fran will work on a daily basis with both academic and support service leaders across the campus, will sit at the key tables where policies are formulated and programs developed, and will assist with the implementation of new and ongoing Indigenous educational initiatives.”
Hunt-Jinnouchi brings to the role diverse experience in Indigenous education. She was director of the Saanich Adult Education Centre for seven years before becoming acting principal of the K’ak’ot’latsi School in Quatsino, near Port Hardy and being elected chief of the Quatsino First Nation last year. She has served on several high profile provincial and national boards and committees, and was founding chair of the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association. She is a graduate of UVic’s School of Social Work and completed her Master’s of Adult Education at St. Francis Xavier University.
Through her professional experience, Hunt-Jinnouchi has seen the landscape of Indigenous education evolve. “We’ve come a long way over the last few decades,” she says. “Twenty years ago the goal was to get more Indigenous students to attend university. Now, as more are graduating from undergraduate studies, we need specific graduate level Indigenous programs to further their education and to provide critical research for Indigenous community development.”
The Office of Indigenous Affairs replaces the former Aboriginal Liaison Office, and has an expanded role and mandate in keeping with the University’s goal to be the university of choice for Indigenous students. Currently, there are an estimated 600 Indigenous students enrolled at UVic.
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Media contacts
Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi (Indigenous Affairs) at 250-721-6326 or franhj@uvic.ca
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Keywords: uvic, appoints, director, new, office, indigenous, affairs
