Indigenous Identity Verification Process

Wilfrid Laurier University, with the guidance of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, has launched a new process to verify Indigenous identity to confirm eligibility for designated Indigenous staff, faculty and student opportunities at Laurier.

Applicants to designated Indigenous opportunities such as staff positions, faculty appointments, and student awards and bursaries, are now required to submit written documentation of Indigenous identity, or a self-declaration that includes specific information about their ongoing relationship to a legally recognized and inherent Indigenous community, Nation, or people, in North America.

Developed in consultation with the Indigenous Education Council and Indigenous Faculty Council at Laurier, the new process will help mitigate Indigenous identity fraud and ensure opportunities designated for Indigenous peoples are awarded to the people for whom they are intended. This verification process is not about a candidate’s claim to Indigeneity but about which Indigenous community claims the candidate, as well as the candidate’s lived experiences of Indigeneity.

For students, this new process is only required for applications to Indigenous-designated admissions, awards, bursaries, and employment opportunities. Students may continue to access the Indigenous student centres and the services they provide through voluntary Indigenous self-identification on LORIS.

How to Confirm Your Indigenous Identity 

There are two options to confirm your Indigenous identity in order to be eligible for Indigenous-designated opportunities at Laurier.

Procedure for Identification for Employment

1. The position is posted as a designated hire, where only Indigenous applicants will be considered or where Indigenous applicants are preferred over non-Indigenous applicants.
2. The requirement for applicants to provide information to verify their Indigenous identity will be stipulated in the application process.
3. The identify verification process will be conducted on short-listed applicants only, prior to the applicant being invited for an interview.
4. The hiring manager/committee chair, in consultation with Human Resources, will collect the information required to verify identity in accordance with the Indigenous Identify Verification Process.
5. The information will be reviewed by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, who will make the determination on identity verification. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives may request additional information from the applicant in order to complete their assessment and/or consult with internal or external resources, as appropriate.
6. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives will provide the outcome of their assessment in writing to Human Resources, who will communicate with the Committee Chair/Hiring Manager.
7. Only applicants whose identify has been positively verified can proceed to the interview stage of the hiring process.
8. Documentation related to the identity verification process will be retained in accordance with document retention procedures for recruitment files and employment files.

Procedure for Identification for Student Scholarships, Bursaries, Admissions

1. The student opportunity is posted as a designated opportunity, where only Indigenous applicants will be considered.
2. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives, in consultation with Admissions and Awards Offices, will collect the information required to verify identity in accordance with the Indigenous Identify Verification Process through the Indigenous Identity Verification form.
3. The information will be reviewed by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, who will make the determination on identity verification. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives may request additional information from the applicant in order to complete their assessment and/or consult with internal or external resources, as appropriate.
4. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives will confirm the outcome of their assessment to the Admissions and Awards Offices.
5. Documentation related to the identity verification process will be retained in accordance with document retention procedures for comparable student records.

Note on Privacy

Personal information is collected under the authority of the Wilfrid Laurier University Act and privacy policies to administer the university-student relationship and for university operations. Personal information will be securely stored and retained in accordance with university records management policies and protocols. For questions about how this information is used, please contact Darren Thomas, associate vice-president: Indigenous Initiatives, at IndigenousID@wlu.ca. 

Contact and self-identification information will be used to contact you about Indigenous initiatives, programs, and opportunities for Indigenous students, faculty, and staff. Indigenous identity verification information must be provided to be considered for opportunities where Indigenous identity is required, such as bursaries, awards, facilitated admissions programs, and to meet conditions of candidacy for employment opportunities.

Further information about how your personal information is collected, used and disclosed can be found in Laurier’s Notice of Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Information. If you have questions, please contact the Privacy Office at privacy@wlu.ca or visit wlu.ca/privacy.