Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration) Caroline Davis is the new co-chair of the Aboriginal Council of Queen's University.

Caroline Davis has been appointed co-chair of the Aboriginal Council of Queen’s University.

Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration) Davis had extensive experience at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada during her 30-year career in the federal civil service. This gave her the opportunity to become very familiar with the economic and social issues that Canada’s Aboriginal communities are faced with, knowledge that will be useful to her now.

“I know that Caroline Davis will make a positive contribution to the Aboriginal Council given her background and demonstrated commitment to working with and supporting Canada’s Aboriginal communities,” says Principal Daniel Woolf.

V-P Davis, who succeeds civil engineering professor Mark Green, will chair the council with Paul Latchford.

“I want to work with the other members of the Aboriginal Council to ensure Aboriginal students who come to Queen’s have a good experience,” she says. “I would also like to make it so that more Aboriginal students want to come to Queen’s.”

Mr. Latchford, a community representative from Tyendinaga (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte), looks forward to working with V-P Davis as the council promotes the well-being and prosperity of Aboriginal students, staff and faculty.

“Having worked with Aboriginal communities over the years, V-P Davis understands and respects that a key indicator of healthy relationships is the quality and effectiveness of people’s participation in matters that affect their lives,” he says.

V-P Davis says she will strive to make the council more inclusive in order to address concerns expressed by some Aboriginal students in the past.

“I have been talking to Janice Hill, director of the Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre, and we would like to find a way to draw the Queen’s Native Student Association back in,” she says, adding the university must also work to attract more Aboriginal people at Queen’s as professors and staff.

She also believes the Queen’s community should have a better understanding of Aboriginal history and culture.

“We are living right in the middle of an Aboriginal community. I would like to see some progress on making more Aboriginal history and current culture available to the Queen’s community,” she says.

The Aboriginal Council, established in 1992, reports directly to the Senate and Board of Trustees. The council is mandated to be involved in all decisions affecting Aboriginal programs and services at Queen’s.