The Deep Roots of Our Principles

Indigenous peoples have shaped this plan with generous spirit and patient resolve—sustained by faith that things will happen when they’re supposed to happen. After generations of forced irrelevance, the Indigenous traditions, languages, and systems of knowledge imbue our university’s future in ways that were unimaginable even a few years ago. At last, this plan draws together parallel paths and uplifts all traditions in a space of peace, respect, and friendship. This plan is both a description of our university’s future and a framework for mutual learning and reconciliation. And for this, we will all be immeasurably stronger.

The principle of sustainability ensures that we take care of the relationships with which we’ve been entrusted—with the land, with the air and water, with our students, colleagues, and neighbours— guided by mindfulness, respect, and reverence. In Cree and Michif, the idea is much bigger, extending to the attention we pay to protecting and honouring the wellness of all humanity and creation, the integrity of our cultural identities, and the stories embedded within language—the baskets of stories— our students, staff, faculty, and partners bring to our community. For the University of Saskatchewan, Nākatēyihtamowin | Nakaatayihtaamoowin is a cultural and ecological touchstone.

At its core, our university is a creative organism. The principle of creativity testifies that we are curious about the unexplored possibilities for growth, enrichment, and justice around us; attentive to the needs and opportunities for change that inspire imagination, and invention; and intentional about the future to which we aspire to contribute. The creative spirit is experiential; it invites participation in individual and collective journeys to discover truth and seek balance within the chaotic dynamism of the universe. Nihtāwihcikēwin | Nihtaooshchikaywin requires both discipline and optimism—knowing that our efforts can bring to fruition the possibilities we envision for learning and discovery.

Life is perpetual movement and change—an unscripted journey of expanding awareness, understanding, and “coming to know”—and no two journeys follow quite the same path. Through the principle of diversity, our university is a meeting place for diverse journeys. Our strength derives from our respect for and belief in the tapestry of identities, traditions, and ways of knowing and being that enrich our humanity and bring us closer to an enlightened understanding of the world around us.

The principle of connectivity requires the University of Saskatchewan to be a global village. Our vibrant community is tied together by shared values, shared intentions, and a commitment to sharing our diverse stories in a place of mutual respect and learning. Our connectivity is our source of resilience, and the interactions that bring us closer together are energized by wonder and a playful spirit. Together, we have the flexibility to flourish in the face of change—and the confidence to take our place among leaders, emboldened by the unity of the community we carry with us.