The Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) announced the reopening of the Mawandoseg Centre and increased funding towards CUSA’s Indigenous Initiatives Fund in a press release on June 17.
“As June is National Indigenous History Month, it serves as an opportunity to not only better understand the distinct histories, cultures and traditions of Indigenous peoples, but also as a chance for us to reflect on how we can do better,” CUSA president Matthew Gagné said in the release.
According to Gagné, this involves increasing the support from CUSA to Indigenous students and Indigenous learning initiatives. This support will come in two forms: reinstating the Mawandoseg Centre and an increase in funding for CUSA’s Indigenous Initiatives Fund.
The Mawandoseg Centre was closed last year due to lack of successful applications for the role of co-ordinator, said CUSA’s director of services Adil Tahseen.
This year, the centre will be fully operational and have a minimum budget of $20,000.
“We posted the job posting, shared it with various offices on and off campus multiple times and kept the deadline for the role open for the majority of the previous year and had very few applicants and none with the skills we were intending for the role,” Tahseen said to the Charlatan through email.
The search for a candidate was more successful this year. Aurora Ominika-Enosse, a fourth-year social work and Indigenous studies student at Carleton, was hired for the position as the centre’s co-ordinator.
“We have high hopes for this individual and look forward to the great work they will create for the students at large … We hope to reconnect with the students and re-establish our presence within the Carleton community,” Tahseen said.
In addition to having a successful candidate, the centre will also have a new location—although exactly where has not been finalized. According to the press release issued on June 17, the current location in the University Centre does not have adequate space for the centre to fully function. CUSA is still surveying other areas to find the best possible location for the Mawandoseg Centre.
“We currently have a few options in terms of where the centre will be located, but it will remain within the service centre hub on the third and fourth floor of the University Centre,” Tahseen said.
The press release stated that with the Mawandoseg Centre being fully operational, the Indigenous celebration campaign, Minwàdjiyà-n (pronounced Mihn-wah-jih-yah), will be permanently implemented at Carleton.
“Mawandoseg will help uplift it by cementing it into its programming. This will allow for the initiative to continue to grow, develop and resonate with students by being a part of programming of a service centre,” Tahseen said.
Gagné also announced that there will also be a 20 per cent increase of funds for the CUSA’s Indigenous Initiatives Fund. The Indigenous Initiatives Fund supports any initiatives that celebrate Indigenous culture and help in the advancement of reconciliation and justice for Indigenous people.
“The changes we are making today acknowledge that there is a lot more CUSA can do to better understand the pathway towards reconciliation,” Gagné said in the press release.
Featured image by Sara Mizannojehdehi.
