The First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) has appointed Trent University Indigenous Studies professor Mark S. Dockstator as its new president, effective July 1, 2014. Professor Dockstator has been an associate professor at Trent University since 1997, and also served as departmental chair and director of the PhD program.

“We are exceptionally pleased that Mark has been chosen to lead the First Nations University of Canada,” said Dr. David Newhouse, chair of the Indigenous Studies department at Trent. “He carries with him all the support of the Department of Indigenous Studies as he undertakes these important leadership responsibilities. It is an honour that one of our members has been chosen for the task for helping the First Nations University on the next step of its development.

A member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, Prof. Dockstator became the first indigenous person to graduate with a doctorate in law in 1994 from York University. His doctoral dissertation, entitled “Toward an Understanding of Aboriginal Self Government”, is a blend of Indigenous and Western knowledge and was used as a foundation for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples final report.

Prof. Dockstator has served as

• Founding Chairman of the First Nations Statistical Institute, Senior
• Negotiator and Researcher for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, President and CEO of Rama Economic
• Development Corporation, Special Advisor to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People and Special
• Advisor to the Chief Commissioner of the Indian Land Claims Commission, to name a few.

He also has a great deal of business experience and has a specific research expertise in Aboriginal issues, having served as principal investigator on an array of national and regional research projects in areas such as Aboriginal health, treaties, Aboriginal languages and culture, education and economic development.

“It is an honor to become the next President of the First Nations University of Canada,” said Prof. Dockstator. “The appointment offers an excellent opportunity to share the experience and expertise of Indigenous Studies developed here at Trent University, explore partnerships and build a network of Indigenous educational institutions for the benefit of both First Nations and Canadian society.”

The First Nations University of Canada is a unique Canadian institution that specializes in Indigenous knowledge, providing post-secondary education for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students alike within a culturally supportive environment. It provides a unique opportunity to study in an environment that supports First Nations cultures, languages, and values.