About the Coyote Project

Situated on the traditional territory of the Secwépemc people, in a region rich with the culture and history of Indigenous peoples, TRU welcomes First Nations students from across the country. Long before The Coyote Project, the university had undertaken numerous indigenization initiatives.

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) recommendations called for education institutions to take action. Currently, about 10 percent of TRU’s student population is Indigenous. And while services and supports for these students are already in place, the university recognized it could do more.

The Coyote Project sprang from a willingness to move forward on the TRC’s recommendations and calls for action and to make deep, thoughtful and long-lasting changes.

The Coyote Project’s goals are about outcomes – the university working in ways for Indigenous students that accelerates improvement in participation, retention and completion. To make this happen there will be improved cultural understanding throughout the TRU community, along with research and reporting.

Each faculty and department has targets and is taking action. Change can come in the form of creating new courses and programs, altering course content or curriculum, expanding research, indigenizing support services, hiring expertise, enhancing environments.