Laurentian University

The Laurentian University is a school in Sudbury named in the obituary of Patricia Baltzer.

In Anishinabek News

• April 2013: The institution purchased advertisement space for the 2013 Anishinaabemowin-Teg conference.
• April 2013: Survivor Charlotte Contin attended Native Studies classes at this institution as of April 2013.
• September 2013: Laurentian University houses the Sudbury campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
• July 2014: Laurentian University partnered with Kenjgewin Teg Educational Institute to deliver a four-year social work degree program. The university previously enrolled Winnie Wassegijig in its Honours Bachelor of Social Work-Native Human Services program in 1992. The Indigenous Social Work Program at the university was formerly directed by Darrel Manitowabi.
• August 2014: Laurentian University charged a $100 administrative fee for sponsored students from Dokis First Nation in 2014. Students taking online courses through Laurentian University were reportedly charged athletic fees to help the institution offset costs.
• August 2014: The university is where Amy Shawanda completed an Honours degree and enrolled in the Master of Indigenous Relations program. Allison Owl attended this institution for the Native Human Service Honours Bachelor of Social Work Program.
• October 2014: A student from Fort William expressed a desire to attend this university to become a midwife.
• January 2015: Josephine Pelletier received her B.A. from this university.
• November 2015: The proposed Centre of Excellence on Aboriginal Mining is planned to be located at this university. The university houses the Goodman School of Mines and the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation.
• November 2015: The university hosted Indigenous Education Week from October 26 to 30, 2015. Its School of Architecture, located in downtown Sudbury, used the Weypiskosiweywin III project to establish an on-campus presence. The institution seeks to facilitate middle-ground spaces for conversations regarding Indigenous representation and education.
• December 2015: Donna Debassige studied gerontology full-time at this institution for one year starting in 2012. The university granted Donna Debassige a degree in Native Studies and Gerontology on October 31, 2015.
• January 2016: Researchers from the university were involved in a study that found Indigenous people were greatly over-represented in the homeless population of North Bay.
• March 2016: Bryan McGregor was enrolled as a third-year sports psychology student at the university in 2016.
• July 2016: Wilmer Noganosh attended this institution as a mature student and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies.
• October 2016: Kelly Crawford earned an honours Bachelor of Arts from the university. As of October 2016, Kelly Crawford was working on a Ph.D. in Human Studies at the institution.
• March 2017: The K'Tigaaning Midwifery Clinic is a priority placement site for Indigenous midwifery students from this institution.
• June 2017: Kelly Crawford is a PhD candidate in the Human Studies program at the university.
• July 2017: The university employs Randi Ray as its Indigenous community outreach and liaison coordinator.
• September 2017: The university is located adjacent to the University of Sudbury campus. It opened its Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre on June 21, 2017.
• February 2019: Scientists from this university participate in the Matawa Water Futures project to co-create community-led water research.
• March 2019: The university collaborated with other northern institutions to develop transitional education supports for Indigenous students. Its Associate Vice President, Sheila Cote Meek, was a featured speaker at a 2019 educational symposium.
• July 2019: Laurentian University is where Elder Hilda Nadjiwan serves as an educator.
• October 2019: Former student Dehmin Eshkawkogan attended this university to study health promotion.
• October 2019: Environmental studies professor David Pearson represented the institution while speaking at a conference in Thunder Bay.
• October 2019: As of October 2019, Kelly Crawford is a PhD candidate in the Human Studies program at this university.
• February 2020: Mathieu Dokis-Dupuis was enrolled in part-time business courses at the institution in early 2020.
• February 2020: Lisa Bishop graduated from this institution in 2007 with a Bachelor of Health Science in Midwifery.
• March 2020: The university entered into a formal agreement with Waubetek Business Development Corporation during the PDAC Convention in 2020. The institution is located on the traditional lands of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek. Several mining-focused departments at the university will collaborate with the Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Mineral Development.
• June 2020: Kelly Crawford is a PhD candidate in the Human Studies program at Laurentian University.
• June 2020: Darrel Manitowabi served as the Director of Northern and Community Studies at this institution prior to June 2020.
• June 2020: Located in Sudbury, this institution celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020. It marked 50 years of Anishinaabemowin presence on its campus during National Indigenous History Month. As of June 2020, it is Canada's only university with a tricultural mandate.
• July 2020: Kelly Crawford is a PhD candidate in the Human Studies program at this institution.
• August 2020: Sarah Hazell serves as an adjunct professor at this institution.
• August 2020: Aaron St.Pierre serves on the Board of Governors for this institution. Aaron St.Pierre earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in History from this university.
• January 2021: The Evaluating Children’s Health Outcome Research Centre at Laurentian University helped develop the Aaniish Naa Gegii app. The university's 2018-2023 Strategic Plan includes a commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
• January 2021: Elder Martina Osawamick provides one-on-one and virtual support to students at this university.
• March 2021: The university declared insolvency on February 1, 2021, putting its Indigenous academic programming and student services at risk. In 2017, the institution opened the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre and implemented an Indigenous-content course requirement for all Bachelor of Arts students. The university's restructuring process threatens the funding of federated partners like the University of Sudbury.
• April 2021: As of April 2021, Laurentian University filed for creditor protection under the CCAA process. The university announced the cancellation of partnerships with three federated institutions that founded the school in the late 1960s. Restructuring led to the closure of programs in the humanities, including Indigenous studies, gerontology, communications, and gender and sexuality. The university was a key partner in funding research at the SNO lab in Sudbury.
• April 2021: The institution filed for insolvency and began a restructuring process in early 2021. On April 1, 2021, the university announced it would no longer grant degree credits for Anishinaabemowin courses taught by federated partners after April 30. The university unilaterally terminated its federation agreements with University of Sudbury, Huntington University, and Thorneloe University effective May 1, 2021. As of April 2021, the university has no Anishinaabemowin-speaking professor or courses on the language despite its stated revitalization strategy.
• April 2021: The university announced plans in April 2021 to develop a new Indigenous Perspectives program for Senate approval. It terminated its federation agreement on April 1, 2021, and terminated numerous faculty members on April 12, 2021. The institution offers a Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work and a Master of Indigenous Relations program.
• April 2021: The institution announced it would offer six Indigenous Studies courses during the 2021 spring session following actions affecting federated universities. The university terminated the project manager for its strategy to revitalize the Anishnaabemwin language. Concerns were raised regarding the university's ability to staff language courses with proficient speakers rather than language learners.
• April 2021: Laurentian University underwent restructuring and CCAA proceedings in 2021, leading to the dissolution of its federated partnership with the University of Sudbury. The institution planned to replace its Indigenous Studies department with an Indigenous Perspectives program. The restructuring at Laurentian University resulted in the dismissal of Indigenous faculty members and scholars.
• May 2021: The institution issued a communique on May 6, 2021, regarding ongoing discussions about future Indigenous Studies courses. The university recently terminated dozens of faculty members en masse, leaving only a small number of Indigenous faculty in various departments. The school has never operated its own Indigenous Studies department, according to Mary Ann Corbiere.
• May 2021: The university used the CCAA process to restructure, impacting its community and the broader Northern Ontario region. Management at the university asserted they could offer Indigenous courses without the specialized faculty from the University of Sudbury. The institution was criticized for mismanagement that devastated the Indigenous Studies program at the University of Sudbury.
• June 2021: The university employs Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara as an assistant professor in the field of social work.
• July 2021: Several students from the university participated in their first water walk during the At the Water's Edge event. The lead organizer of the 2021 water walk, Tasha Beeds, is a former professor at this institution.
• April 2022: The university houses the Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute and the Office of Academic and Indigenous Programs. It employs faculty and staff dedicated to Indigenous research, leadership, and the implementation of Truth and Reconciliation initiatives. The school provides a space where Indigenous students can see themselves represented as leaders and change-makers.
• June 2022: Grace Webb, the winner of Miss North Ontario 2022, is a student in the Law and Justice program at this institution.
• September 2022: On September 22, 2022, the university hosted the launch of a collaborative video focused on the importance of consent and student safety. The institution partnered with local colleges and the Greater Sudbury Police Service to address sexual violence and reporting options.
• October 2022: The university operates under a tricultural mandate to ensure programs meet the needs of Indigenous communities. As of October 2022, 13 per cent of the student population at the institution has self-identified as Indigenous. The school offers specialized degrees including a Bachelor in Indigenous Social Work and a Masters in Indigenous Relations.
• November 2022: The university hosted a mini pow wow on October 28, 2022, to share and learn about Indigenous culture. Staff and faculty from various programs at the university attended the cultural gathering. The event was organized by the Indigenous Student Affairs department at the university.
• April 2023: Cailen Hanzlik was attending this institution as a third-year student at the time of her election to the Anishinabek Education System Youth Council.
• July 2023: Connor Lafortune intends to pursue a Masters in Indigenous Relations at this institution.
• July 2023: Halley Baker is completing an honours degree in Equity, Diversity, and Human Rights at the university. The institution hosts the Student General Association and the Laurentian University Law Society.
• July 2023: Dehmin Eshkawkogan chose to attend this university because its location allowed her to remain within two hours of her home community. The university houses the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Center, where students can participate in cultural workshops such as fire-keeping. The Health Promotion program at this institution includes courses in biomechanics and health principles that inspired Dehmin Eshkawkogan to pursue physiotherapy.
• January 2024: The university serves more than 8,000 students and operates with a mandate that includes Indigenous education. In January 2024, the institution announced the appointment of three new tenure-track faculty members to its School of Indigenous Relations.
• February 2025: The university offers a Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work program. Ashley Recollet plans to attend this institution after graduating from Cambrian College.
• June 2025: The university partners with Science North to deliver a graduate program in science communication.
• August 2025: The university hosted Indigenous youth interns on its campus for the Outland Youth Employment Program in August 2025. The institution's Goodman School of Mines coordinated the 2025 STEM & Mining Experience in partnership with Cambrian College. The university's Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre provided cultural programming and ceremonies for the visiting students.
• October 2025: Connor Lafortune began a doctoral program at this university in September 2025 to continue his research on life promotion.
• November 2025: Maurice Switzer serves as an adjunct professor of Indigenous Studies and Communications at the university.
• March 2026: Devon Patterson is a fourth-year student at Laurentian University studying Earth sciences and environmental chemistry.
• April 2026: The university hosted the Weaving Knowledges: Indigenous Research Excellence session on March 23, 2026, as part of its Research Week. As of April 2026, the institution supports various Indigenous research projects focused on health, education, and traditional practices. The event aimed to highlight the work of Indigenous graduate students and faculty members within the university community.
• July 2026: Chris Clouthier completed his mechanical engineering degree at this institution in 2026. The university featured Indigenous graduates during its June Convocation celebrations to share their post-secondary education paths.
• July 2026: Kim Kennedy is a student of Indigenous social work at this institution, with a scheduled graduation in 2027.
• October 2026: Kristan Straub serves as the chancellor for Laurentian University.