2001-2002 Annual Report

History and Purpose

A Memorandum (1992), between the Six Nations Council and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada   (INAC) provides for the local administration of the Post Secondary Student Support Program. 

The Post Secondary Board is mandated to direct the operation of the Grand River Post Secondary Education Office (GRPSEO). Post Secondary Board policy begins with the understanding that the moral ownership of the Grand River Post Secondary Education Organization is Onkwehon:we with Grand River Territory lineage. 

Board Policy is based on the belief and vision that acquiring knowledge, skills, capabilities, and confidence empower individuals to be self-sufficient and contribute to their communities and society at large. Post Secondary education provides a path to do this.

The Grand River Post Secondary Education Organization exists to empower Onkwehon:we through higher education, within available resources.

 In achieving this purpose, the Grand River Post Secondary Education Organization places a high value on organizational integrity and efficiency. 

1. The GRPSEO strives to operate in an accountable and consistent manner.
2. The GRPSEO consults the moral ownership of the organization, on a regular basis, to ensure that the organization is on the right track when it comes to community expectations about results and the values that guide the organization. 
3. The GRPSEO then reports issues and outcomes on a regular basis.

As part of its reporting system, the GRPSEO publishes the annual audit for the Grand River Post Secondary Education Office (GRPSEO) completed through KPMG Chartered Accountants, the auditing firm for the Six Nations Council. The GRPSEO further provides an annual enrolment report to INAC as per the 1992 MOU mentioned above. 

This report is issued to the Six Nations Confederacy Council and the Six Nations Elected Council at least once per year as well as to other key stakeholder organizations. Individuals may also request a copy of this report by contacting the Post secondary Office or view the report on our web site at www.grpseo.org.

 The GRPSEO continues to function within the realities of limited resources and increasing demands.  In this report you will therefore find:

     Highlights of outcomes and accomplishments as they relate to the GRPSEO mandate, 

1. Summaries of issues and trends impacting our post secondary students.

 An Annual report is not only a report on what has taken place but is also a valuable planning tool.

 As always, your comments and input are welcomed. Please feel free to contact us if you wish to comment on this report, have questions or wish to make a contribution toward post secondary education for Six Nations students.

The Grand River Post Secondary Board oversees the operation of the GRPSEO.

Board policy states that the Board’s main role is to link with Onkwehon:we with Grand River lineage so that the board can determine and demand appropriate organizational performance and also ensure public accountability of the board. The Board and staff take this unique trust obligation seriously.

Organizational expectations are clearly stated in Board policy. These include limitations placed on operations through Board policy.  

The Board continually reviews Board policy to see if it is in line with the expectations of Onkwehon:we with Grand River lineage and monitors the operations for compliance with this policy.

The GRPSEO measures outcomes in student accomplishments leading to graduation.  Organizational resources are expended in support of this outcome and the steps toward this end.

The GRPSEO provides encouragement and support to Onkwehon:we students throughout their post secondary education experience. Student responsibilities are defined at the beginning of the GRPSEO – student relationship in order to ensure student responsibility for decisions and accomplishments.

Eligible students requesting funding have access to funding within available resources.

Available resources for supporting post secondary education includes resources from the Federal Government, scholarships, bursaries and donations that meet the ethical standards and values established by the Board. The source of donations must be known and verified as legitimate. In accounting for available resources, the GRPSEO strategically identifies growing needs and increased costs of post secondary education programs. The GRPSEO then advocates to increase awareness about growing needs and limited resources available for Onkwehon:we post secondary education.

Accurate and timely information is available to students, families, and the community regarding educational trends, opportunities and available resources to support post secondary education. Students, families, and the community are informed that available funding may not be sufficient to meet the full requirement.

In support of community development, the GRPSEO  encourages student enrolment in a diversity of programs. More specifically, the GRPSEO encourages education in strategic directions (areas) which address the identified needs of Onkwehon:we communities and the community at large. In support of strategic community development, the GRPSEO supports the development of Onkwehon:we professionals through academic opportunities as well as Onkwehon:we stewardship of our languages,  traditions and culture.

1. Post Secondary Graduation

Six Nations post secondary students continue with high rates of success!  The chart entitled, “Multi-Year Student Status Comparison” shows the outcomes for Six Nations students who received funding through the Post Secondary Office over the past five years. Note especially the high number of graduates and students who complete their year successfully.

The GRPSEO is pleased to facilitate on-going recognition of Six Nations post secondary student accomplishments.

• Recognition of student accomplishments is an on-going part of our interaction with students.
• Student accomplishments are also highlighted in public ways as much as possible. 
• Special recognition is given to graduates at the Annual Student Recognition in October of each year. The event format changed in 2001 to accommodate more students and family members.




Student Recognition	Number of Grads
92 to 93	18
93 to 94	23
94  to 95	83
95  to 96	75
96  to 97	88
97  to 98	121
98  to 99	116
99 to 00	121
00  to 01	108
01 to 02	115

Student Recognition is an on-going student support strategy, for example the GRPSEO continues to: 

• publish grad photos in local papers during Community Awareness Week in May.
• attend events on campus whenever possible in support of our students e.g. orientations, convocations, awards nights.
• maintain a history of student accomplishments (pictures and video tapes) at the office.
• include messages of encouragement or congratulations from Six Nations agencies, business and families in the newsletter to students published three times per year.
• feature a good news story about a student or grad in each Board newsletter that is distributed in the community.

This year the GRPSEO was pleased to share our Grads accomplishments on the CD-Rom, Six Nations Grads…Paths Into The Millennium with delegates attending the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education.  The good stories of the career and life paths of 146 of our students have now been shared with Indigenous peoples from around the world.

Six Nations consistently has a greater demand for post secondary assistance than there are funds available.   This increasing demand is the result of two trends: (1) increased tuition costs and (2) increasing numbers of eligible applicants for education assistance.

Increasing Tuition Trend

These trends combined with inadequate budget increases to post secondary education assistance have resulted in a chronic funding shortage for post secondary assistance for eligible students.

In the following chart, “Grpseo Application Intake” please note the increasing number of applications each year. The number shown for 2002/2003 does not reflect a full year – but is the number received as of September 16, 2002.

In “Unfunded Applications”, the dollars required each year for unfunded applications is based on GRPSEO limited rates of assistance of $800 per month allowance, $400 per full time semester for books and mandatory tuition fees. Funding for travel, child care, dependents or high cost locations is not available due to continued funding shortages. The number of unfunded applications each year is a function of: number of applications, cost of programs, academic year length by program, and student enrolment status (full or part time).

As of September 9, 2002, the GRPSEO submitted a report to INAC advising that over $2,000,000 is required for unfunded applications for the summer and fall intakes for the 2002/2003 academic year. It is important to note that while this alarming amount is based once again on GRPSEO limited rates of assistance, it does not include the dollars required to fund winter applications.  

The following exhibits provide a snap shot into how available funds are allocated.

Note the gradual decrease in students with dependents. This is a function of limited rates of assistance through the GRPSEO.

Note the increase in part time enrolment. This is due, in part, to flexible schedule programs available through Six Nations Polytechnic in partnership with Brock University

The allocation of funds to students with membership under Bill C31 (1985) is consistent with overall membership statistics for each reported year.  

The allocation of funds to students by residence is reflective of the residence rates for overall membership.

Resources are linked with student success

Within available resources, funding is allocated using a priority system with all eligible student applications. This system is designed to provide fair and equitable access to limited funds as students pursue their goal of graduation. As a result, successful continuing students are rewarded with top priority for on-going funding. If a student fails a course then students are expected to pay back the tuition funds, so once again, success is rewarded. As a result of our responsible and accountable approach to our undertakings, Six Nations has very high graduation rates compared to other First Nations in Canada, however we could do so much more given the opportunity. 

Our auditors have suggested that more aggressive steps be taken to recover funds from students who have withdrawn from courses or failed. Currently a student is required to pay any outstanding funds back before being eligible to apply for additional funds. The auditor’s suggestion will be considered within the limits of practices acceptable to the ownership. The cost-benefit of more aggressive steps will also be considered. 

Scholarships & Awards resulting from donations, fundraising and private sponsors

As the need is constantly greater than available funds, the GRPSEO increases available resources by targeting scholarships and bursaries through creative fund-raising strategies. 

Each year more of our students receive scholarships and bursaries. Recipients are recognized at the annual Student Recognition event held each year in October.  

Student success, the documented financial need along with operational accountability continues to attract new award donors. A very special thank you goes to all donors. 

As a result of direct fundraising by the GRPSEO, nine scholarships of $500 have been issued to students at the annual Student Recognition event, October 12, 2002. The money for these scholarships came from the proceeds of the Annual Golf for Grads Tournament, as well as from donations from board and staff members. Thank you to all who contributed to the tournament and related fundraising efforts.

Six Nations Specific Awards Continue to Grow….  

Incentives & Scholarships

Each year, all student funds are assigned to students but then some of the funds do not get issued because students withdraw or cannot continue for some reason. Depending on the timing, some of these funds cannot be issued to another student before the end of the fiscal year (March 31st of each year). 

Our accounting firm, KPMG, allows us to set these funds into special categories in our accounting so that the funds can be issued after March 31st. These funds have to be issued in a different way from on-going post secondary funding. It may help to think of these funds as one time only funding that is available only if money gets “freed” up. 

During the 2001 to 2002 year, these funds were issued as incentives as well as scholarships. The money for these incentives and scholarships came from student funds that were decommitted and could not be reassigned during the last fiscal year. The value of the incentive or scholarship therefore depends on the amount of decommitted dollars and the number of eligible students. 

The incentives were issued in recognition of the rising costs for books and supplies, and the limited assistance available for books and supplies through the GRPSEO. The scholarships were issued in recognition of strong academic performance.  

In the fall 2001, the GRPSEO issued one time only incentives of $500 each to full time students approved for funding through the GRPSEO for the fall 2001 semester.  In total, $233,731.41 was issued as incentives.

The incentives for the fall of 2002, will be reduced due to the amount of available funds.  

• Academic Scholarships of $500 each were issued to students enrolled full time for the fall and winter 2001/2002 academic semesters in either level 1 (college) or level 2 (undergraduate) study. A total of $53,616.00 was issued for this purpose. Students had to be in a program that is eligible for funding through the GRPSEO and have achieved a grade average of B or higher in their program of studies at the end of the 2000/2001 academic year to be eligible for consideration. Students were required to apply to be considered.

Advocating for Increased Funding 

The GRPSEO continues to advocate for increased funding through the submission of briefings to the Six Nations Council, Department of Indian Affairs and most recently the Federal Caucus on Post Secondary Education. 

As a result of joint advocacy between the GRPSEO and the Six Nations Council, the GRPSEO is now conducting two research projects funded by INAC. The purpose of this research is to document the financial need of students while at the same time providing some funding to students who successfully self-funded for the 2001 to 2002 academic year and to a limited number of students selected to participate in case study research for the 2002 to 2003 academic year. Both projects will gather data to document the need of students to take out loans to pay education costs not covered by funding through the GRPSEO. 

The research findings will provide additional support to the case for increased funding for our eligible post secondary students. 

In addition, the GRPSEO participates in forums in which Federal Department authorities and policy for post secondary funding can be positively impacted such as the Post Secondary Student Support Program Evaluation Advisory Committee as well as Social and Education Policy Renewal forums.

Meaningful Information

The GRPSEO makes every effort to provide accurate and timely information to students, families and the community regarding future employment trends, education opportunities and the resources available to support post secondary education. For example, 

• Information about how to apply is published regularly. 
• The Board issues a newsletter to the community that features a student’s story. This newsletter also includes on-going information about the alarming funding shortage for post secondary students as well as trends that indicate future opportunities for graduates.
• Current post secondary institution and program information is maintained at the office. This includes information from across Canada and the USA as our students attend many different institutions. A variety of other resource material is also available to students e.g. college and university applications, OSAP applications, LSAT sample tests. 
• Counselling is provided to active post secondary students. Counselling takes place through student visits to the office, telephone contacts and on campus where possible. Given the increasing number of applications received each year, and the diversity of institutions attended by students, counsellor case loads were reviewed. As a result, the GRPSEO added a fourth counsellor.  See the following exhibits: Grpseo Incoming Contacts – Yearly  Comparisons; Grpseo Staff Response – Yearly Comparisons; Student Program Selections; Grpseo Student Enrolment by Location; and the caseload for each Education Counsellor in the staff directory.
• Students continue to access fax, photocopy, computer, and Internet equipment at the GRPSEO.  The Internet station is an essential tool for students researching institutions, programs, scholarships and bursaries.  Students are increasingly required to apply for admission on-line so the demand for these services continues to grow. In 2003, the GRPSEO will relocate to offices in the new Six Nations Polytechnic building. This move will result in more student access to resources and computer labs. 
• In support of informed student choice, the GRPSEO continues to publish its newsletter, The Talking Tree, three times per year. A Student Guide to Post Secondary Education Assistance is also available to all students.  
• Students access education assistance application forms and up to date policy information twenty-four hours per day via our web site at www.grpseo.org.  A special thanks to Virginia Martin for keeping the website up to date.

• The GRPSEO hosts an Annual Post Secondary Information day each year at Six Nations. Reps from many college and universities are on hand to answer student and parents questions about program and services. Last year’s Info Day was held November 2, 2001 at the Six Nations Community Hall in Ohsweken. On October 22, 2002 the Information Day will be held at the West Building, Mohawk College Campus, Brantford. 
• Each spring the GRPSEO hosts OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Program) information sessions. Our continued thanks to Mohawk College for assisting in this information service. 
• To keep informed about programs, admission standards, professional standards, etc., GRPSEO Education Counsellors attend the various forums throughout the year such as Dialogue (Ontario universities’ information forum) as well as Red Carpet Day (the annual college information forum). 
• GRPSEO Education Counsellors continue with the “Smart Student Strategy” to encourage “responsible decisions by informed students”.  The GRPSEO continues to provide access to relevant information for students and stresses with students their responsibility to be informed and to think through the implications of their options before making a decision.  Given our limited resources, our education counsellors are limited to two information sessions with secondary students and one with elementary students. 
• GRPSEO staff continue to supervise exams for students enrolled in distance education courses and to provide letters of recommendation/support for students applying for admission to professional programs or for scholarships and bursaries. 
• Scholarships & bursaries are compiled on an on-going basis.  Current information is available to students in the student work area as well as on disk. Net “Hot Spots” are also book marked for student convenience. 
• Board and staff identify local, regional, national and international trends and policies with the potential to impact our students.

Canadian Provinces	2001-2002
Alberta	28
British Columbia	17
Manitoba	5
New Brunswick	2
Newfoundland	1
Nova Scotia	6
Ontario	700
Prince Edward Island	2
Quebec	8
Saskatchewan	4

Community Development

In support of community development, the GRPSEO encourages student enrolment in a diversity of programs (see previous charts for Student Program Selections). More specifically, the GRPSEO encourages education in strategic directions (areas) which address the identified needs of Onkwehon:we communities and the community at large. In support of strategic community development, the GRPSEO supports the development of Onkwehon:we professionals through academic opportunities as well as Onkwehon:we stewardship of our languages,  traditions and culture.

• The Need for Health Professionals 
  
  The GRPSEO works with other community agencies to identify Community Development needs. For the past two years, the GRPSEO has participated in the Six Nations Health Sciences Focus Group, made up of five organizations at Six Nations of the Grand River:  Grand River Employment & Training (GREAT), Grand River Post Secondary Education Office (GRPSEO), Six Nations Health Services, Six Nations Polytechnic and the Six Nations Council. 
  
  In June, with financial support from INAC, the focus group hosted 2020 Vision – A Round Table:  “ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES”.  
  
  The very successful two-day Round Table was attended by approximately 55 participants including First Nations health care students, members of First Nations’ health organizations, including Aboriginal Recruitment Coordination Office (ARCO) and National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), along with First Nations, federal & provincial government and university & college representatives.
  
  Over the course of the two-day Round Table, participants identified many dozens of activities that could be undertaken to meet the objective of training 40 medical doctors, 60 nurses and 100 other Aboriginal health professionals by the year 2020.  Concerns were expressed about the serious barriers that exist to First Nations students succeeding in elementary and secondary school, particularly in the area of math and sciences.  In addition, there are clear obstacles for Aboriginal students getting admission into the whole range of health professional studies (not just medicine) and then succeeding in these programs. The Final Report for the 2020 Vision Round Table can be viewed at www.grpseo,org. 
  
  The GRPSEO was very pleased to have student involvement in the Round Table and continues to work with strategic partners to further the 2020 Vision.  This will take concerted effort over the next few years to develop and implement the essential strategies for student preparedness, access and graduation. 
  
  
• The Need for Technology & Business Grads 
  
  As Six Nations takes on more management responsibility for community infrastructure and operations, the need for technology and business graduates continues to rise, especially as these are two areas in which student enrolment is currently low. 
  
  Once again, the GRPSEO works with strategic partners to address these community development needs. During the past year, the GRPSEO became active in the Imperial Oil – Six Nations Education and Training Steering Committee. This committee identifies and supports strategies to prepare students to work in technology areas. Strategies are being supported from the elementary to post secondary levels with funding from Imperial Oil. 
  
  
• Stewardship of our languages, traditions and culture 

The GRPSEO continues to support student graduation from programs that allow for research, documentation and instruction related to our languages, traditions and culture.

Significant Trends Affecting Post Secondary Education For Six Nations Students 

The GRPSEO is guided by our collective responsibilities to make decisions that will not harm our future generations nor diminish their opportunities to thrive.  

This means that personal responsibility and accountability is expected of all who participate in the GRPSEO (board, staff and students).
 
In terms of post secondary governance and management, it is our responsibility to make prudent and ethical decisions, in an accountable way, and to implement appropriate plans to address trends and factors that will affect future post secondary students.

The following outlines several key trends impacting post secondary education for Six Nations students and the undertakings of the GRPSEO designed to reduce negative impacts and to optimize opportunities.

The increasing cost of post secondary education

Six Nations of the Grand River is the largest populated First Nation in Canada and has administered the post secondary education program locally since mid-1992.
 
Six Nations consistently has a greater demand for post secondary assistance than there are funds available.   This increasing demand is the result of two trends: (1) increased tuition costs and (2) increasing numbers of eligible applicants for education assistance. 

These trends combined with inadequate budget increases to post secondary education assistance have resulted in a chronic funding shortage for post secondary assistance for eligible students.

Tuition will continue to increase with deregulation of tuition (especially in Ontario). Legislation has changed to allow for more private institutions and while these institutions often offer program flexibility and choice these also come with an increased price tag (sometimes twice the public institution rate). 

The overall cost of ‘living’ while going to school increases. The student allowance of $800 no longer covers the cost of residence and a meal plan at several post secondary institutions in Ontario.  

Mandatory program fees for equipment and supplies at the college level of study has increased dramatically in Ontario. For example, some students are required to lease a computer before they can register. The cost of the lease (up to $1,500 per year) is in addition to tuition costs.

The GRPSEO continues to operate in an accountable manner and is therefore in a position to advocate for funding increases based on actual costs.  
Recognizing that the level of overall post secondary funding is determined externally from the GRPSEO (funding is determined through a Federal Government funding process), the GRPSEO informs students and families of the trends so they can be better informed and prepared.   

Federal Government Agenda 

The overall funding for post secondary is determined through a Federal Government funding process. This process is designed to fit into overall strategic policy decisions linked to all Federal Government priorities.  The Federal Department most directly involved in the post secondary funding process is the Department of Indian Affairs (INAC).  In an environment of competing interests, funding for First Nation post secondary students has not been a Federal priority despite long standing recommendations put forward in national reports such as: the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, The Federal Government’s response, Gathering Strength and more recently the Assembly of First Nations research on post secondary education. 

INAC along with all Federal Departments is currently going through a process of evaluation and audit to demonstrate capacity to manage the dollars assigned to its funding authorities.  

As Six Nations post secondary funding is only one piece of national post secondary funding expenditures for First Nations, Six Nations must therefore make extra effort to stand out from a national funding process and environment reported to be plagued with systemic accountability issues.

Student Preparedness is Lacking 

Many of our high school graduates are not graduating with the required courses for their programs of choice at college or university.  

Many of our high school graduates do not have the marks to compete at the entry level set by some programs. For example, a university calendar may state that admission is an OSSD with 75% when in fact the cut off is really 95%. 

The GRPSEO participates, as invited, in community forums and strategies designed to address issues of education quality and student preparedness at the elementary and secondary levels.

Student access to post secondary continues to get tougher  

The double cohort of high school graduates will increase competition for admission into post secondary education as will other factors related to secondary school reform in Ontario. 

While the arrival of private post secondary institutions brings flexibility in post secondary programming and more fast track programs, the need to be an educated consumer is even greater. Not only is there a cost factor to be considered but there is a need to verify that such programs will result in “recognized” credentials especially for professions governed by legislation such as health professions and social services. 

The GRPSEO works with secondary school counsellors, makes student presentations and hosts information sessions and forums to advise potential students and families of future students to plan and prepare for admission criteria that will increasingly involve community service, volunteer work, and rising expectations for academic success as a result of student testing at the elementary and secondary levels.   
The GRPSEO continues to provide new high school graduates with an option of deferring their post secondary education for one year in favour of obtaining valuable work experience and the opportunity to “save” for those extra costs. 

Will there be post secondary funding for your children and grandchildren?

Will your child or grand child have a dream to pursue?

Will your child be prepared to pursue that dream through post secondary education?

Will your child get admitted to his/her program of choice?

What Can You Do? Here’s a starting list…..we encourage you to pick even one. 

Support increased funding for eligible Six Nations post secondary students. There are a variety of ways to do this. For example, send letters of support to the GRPSEO, your councilor; Members of Parliament. 

Establish a scholarship or bursary in support of student graduation or donate to the Six Nations Post Secondary Alumni Circle in support of jointly funded awards. 

Sponsor an unfunded student. 

Hire a summer student so the students can gain valuable experience in their field of study. 

Send words of encouragement to post secondary students. 

Become a mentor. 

Golf in the Golf for Grads 2003 or donate to the Tournament. 

Encourage excellence in our young people. 

Teach your young people to dream big and to believe in themselves.

The Grand River Post Secondary Education Organization continues to function with clearly stated policy outlining organizational purpose as well as beliefs and values to guide the Board and staff. The organization continues to link with its ownership to ensure that it is “on track”. 

Organizational activities and expenditures are consistent with our organization’s purpose and mindful of resource constraints. 

The organization remains focused on continuous improvement in efficiency/effectiveness of management, administration and student support services. For example,  

• Annual staff planning is completed and critical paths are followed for all significant activities related to student support services. 
• Annual staff in-service, training and performance reviews continue to ensure that the required combinations of knowledge, skill and ability are on hand.  
• We continue to maximize on-campus linkages to enhance support services for our students and the efficiency of our financial administration. 
• We use technology to improve efficiency related to student and institutional communications.  
• We track student progress in a timely fashion. 
• We develop, implement and promote best practices. 
• We seek out strategic alliances both internal and external to the community. 

The Grand River Post Secondary Education Organization hereby reports compliance with all legal and policy requirements related to its mandate.

In this 10th year of operation, we take this opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of all Grand River Post Secondary Board Members.  
Thank you for your belief in the value of education, the abilities of our people and your dedication and commitment to our students and future.

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