First Nations University of Canada appoints Jacqueline Ottmann as 10th president

The Regina-based First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) announced its 10th president on Monday after close to two years of searching for a candidate for the permanent position.

Jacqueline Ottmann,currently the vice provost of Indigenous engagement at the University of Saskatchewan, will take over the role of president of FNUniv on Sept. 6.

A statement from the university said Ottmann is Anishinaabe (Saulteaux) and a member of the Fishing Lake First Nation in southern Saskatchewan. Ottmann said her first language spoken at home was Nakawe.

Ottmann returned to Saskatchewan after working at the University of Calgary for 13 years. She has been at the University of Saskatchewan since 2017.

Ottmann is currently president of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education and the founding editor of a journal that focuses on inter-disciplinary dialogue that uplifts Indigenous communities, nations and individuals.

Bob Kayseas has been the interim president of FNUniv for the last two years. During that time he has also maintained his position as the vice president academic. The university said Kayseas will continue in the president role until Sept. 6, then return to his vice president role full time.

Ottmann said she admires that FNUniv is built upon Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. While other mainstream universities strive for Indigenization, decolonization and reconciliation, Ottmann said at FNUniv, there is already an immersion in Indigenous knowledge.

"Language teaching is important, ceremony is important, cultural practices is important, as is uplifting the sophistication of Indigenous intellect and so there's this opportunity to have students interact with the sophistication of Indigenous philosophies and practices and knowing."