Aboriginal Students
The 2010 survey synthesis represents a
decade of student opinion about the teaching
and learning environment and overall student
experience at the University of Saskatchewan.
These summarized findings are meant to
ensure that the student voice is included in
the university planning process at all levels to
address the emerging priority needs to
support undergraduate and graduate
students.
Who are our Aboriginal students?
Aboriginal students were more likely to come from Saskatchewan
than non-Aboriginal students (93-97% vs. 82-84%).
Aboriginal students were generally older than non-Aboriginal
students. Approximately 40% of Aboriginal students, compared to
20% of non-Aboriginal students, were 19 years of age or older when
entering the U of S.
Aboriginal students, in 2008, were five times more likely to have
children than non-Aboriginal students (approximately 30% vs. 5%).
This is one of the 10 fact sheets included in the
launch of the 2010 survey synthesis. Each fact
sheet focuses on a specific theme or aspect of
the student experience as reported by
University of Saskatchewan survey
participants between 2001 and 2010.
These surveys include the Canadian University
Survey Consortium (CUSC) and the National
Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), among
others.
Why do Aboriginal students attend university?
In 2009, Aboriginal students said they wanted to prove that they
could succeed in university, or because someone believed that they
could succeed.
Aboriginal students were more than twice as likely to have cited
helping their family and community financially as an important
reason to attend, even though they were less likely to be expected to
attend.
Are Aboriginal students satisfied overall?
Aboriginal students were generally more satisfied with their overall
university experience than non-Aboriginal students.
For the complete list of surveys used in the
2010 survey synthesis, please see Appendix A
of this package.
For more information about specific surveys
at the University of Saskatchewan, please
contact the office of Institutional Planning
and Assessment (IPA) at:
ipa_assessment@usask.ca.
Aboriginal students were more likely than non-Aboriginal students to
participate in cultural activities or organizations, but less likely to see
themselves as part of the university.
In 2008, 85% of Aboriginal students agreed the university treats
everyone fairly regardless of their race, compared to 94% for nonAboriginal students.
Complete List of Fact Sheets in Initial Launch Package
Pre-university ° First-year Transition ° Graduate Students ° Post-graduation Trends ° Teaching and Learning ° Student Finances
Out-of-class Experience ° Major Facilities and Services ° Aboriginal Students ° Overall Satisfaction
www.usask.ca/ip
Aboriginal Students
What is the academic experience of Aboriginal students?
In 2010, Aboriginal students expected a similar drop in their grades at the end of first year compared to
non-Aboriginal students, with approximately 80% expecting lower grades than in high school.
Aboriginal students were as academically engaged as non-Aboriginal students and were equally or more
likely to be satisfied with the quality of teaching.
Aboriginal students who used personal, academic and career support services were more likely to have
greater success academically.i
Is support available for Aboriginal students?
In 2009, Aboriginal students were more likely to experience a personal or non-academic problem that
affected their academic work than non-Aboriginal students (56% vs. 35%).
Aboriginal students were more likely to indicate there was at least one staff member who they could talk to
and who was sensitive to their needs.
Generally, Aboriginal students were more satisfied with services for Aboriginal students than their
counterparts at our peer institutions (see Appendix B).
How do Aboriginal students finance their education?
Aboriginal students were more likely to rely on government loans or bursaries and loans from financial
institutions to finance their studies. They relied less on financing from their parents, families or spouses.
In 2009, Aboriginal students were more likely to carry debt of $20,000 or more and to carry a credit card
balance.
Are Aboriginal students ready to be employed upon graduation?
On average, Aboriginal students were somewhat better prepared for employment/career than nonAboriginal students, especially in their graduating year. They were more likely to have a career mentor,
chosen a career field, volunteered or worked in the chosen field of employment, and met with a career
counselor.
I
Based on combined results from University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina, University of Winnipeg, and University
of Manitoba.
Complete List of Fact Sheets in Initial Launch Package
Pre-university ° First-year Transition ° Graduate Students ° Post-graduation Trends ° Teaching and Learning ° Student Finances
Out-of-class Experience ° Major Facilities and Services ° Aboriginal Students ° Overall Satisfaction
www.usask.ca/ip