Classes will be suspended at Queen’s on Sept. 30 to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) and allow time for students and faculty to reflect on Indigenous histories.
In April 2023, Queen’s Senate approved its Policy on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It marked that on NDTR all activities at the University be cancelled. The policy applies to all teaching and learning activities within every faculty and school at Queen’s.
According to the policy report, the purpose of the suspension of classes “is intended to create shared space for non-Indigenous members of the Queen’s community to grapple with the legacy of colonialism on Indigenous Peoples.”
Queen’s asked for feedback on the policy in a Sept. 22 Queen’s Gazette article, directing comments to be sent to policies@queensu.ca before 4 p.m. on Oct. 7.
In a written statement to The Journal, Claire O’Brien, manager of academic initiatives within the Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic), said when the NDTR policy was approved by Senate in 2023, the date for the first regular policy review was set for 2025.
The statement said that the policy’s revisions will not change the suspension of teaching and learning activities and the existing policy will remain in effect for this year.
The review began in February 2025 and was initiated by Gavan Watson, vice-provost (teaching and learning) and chair of the Senate Committee on Academic Development and Procedures. Watson was assisted by O’Brien.
O’Brien said the draft policy revision does not propose changing the suspension of teaching and learning activities on NDTR moving forward, but rather the proposed changes include updates to definitions and updates to the “background” and “purpose of policy” sections of the report.
Specific changes were not provided.
Tags
Indigenous history, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, suspension
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