Marion Buller, being brave in a changing world, is reappointed as UVic’s Chancellor

Infinitely more than a signature on your certificate, diploma or degree, Marion Buller brings commitment, humility, approachability and thoughtfulness in her role as University of Victoria’s Chancellor. Buller sees herself as UVic’s biggest cheerleader, advocate and champion. She believes that by taking small, impactful actions and questioning our assumptions, the university and community can make real progress on key issues and pertinent topics like decolonization and truth and reconciliation.

Prior to being appointed UVic Chancellor in January 2022, Buller was an influential legal scholar, the initial First Nations woman to be appointed as a judge in British Columbia and the former chief commissioner of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. A member of the Mistawasis Nêhiyawak, a Cree First Nation in Saskatchewan, she is a longtime advocate for Indigenous issues and rights. She is also a proud UVic alumna, receiving her undergraduate degree in anthropology (’75) and her law degree (’87).

“Chancellor Buller has dedicated immense time and energy in this role, fostering growth and engagement in initiatives she believes in deeply,” said Paul Ramsey, Chair of the Board of Governors. “Her unwavering support continues to make a profound impact, and we are deeply grateful for her dedication and passion.”

In advance of a campus event on November 20 to celebrate Buller’s volunteer service as Chancellor over the past three years and her reappointment to a second term, we sat down to chat with her about her reflections on her first term and her areas of focus for the next three years.

Q. Reflecting back on your time and role as Chancellor, what are you most proud of? What has been most difficult?

A. Over my first term as Chancellor, I am proud of how I’ve seen the University grow – development of Distinctly UVic: A Strategy for the University of Victoria | 2023 Forward, consultations with partners at all levels as well with local Indigenous communities, growth at the micro level with students graduating and moving on, and physical growth with the construction of new student residence buildings, the National Centre for Indigenous Law (NCIL) project and the Engineering and Computer Science building. Everywhere we see the opportunities around us and the evidence of change and growth.

There have been challenges for me in my role as Chancellor. It’s a steep learning curve. As Chancellor, I have a seat at the Board of Governors and the Senate. Despite my previous experiences, there is no organization that operates quite like a university - it is not like a business, not like most non-profits (although it is one). However, I’m proud that I was able to take on this volunteer role – to have this opportunity to give back in part, with time to UVic for what UVic gave to me as a learner.

Q. Since your installation, what are some of the key events, programs, initiatives or areas of progress that you feel UVic can be proud about? 

A. UVic has much to be proud of as an institution and a community - it is the people that make UVic successful. Creating a strategic vision for the university through Distinctly UVic: A Strategy for the University of Victoria | 2023 Forward, advancing our work on Xʷkʷənəŋistəl | W̱ȻENEṈISTEL | Helping to move each other forward Indigenous Plan and striving to make our campus, courses and atmosphere more inclusive through the Equity Action Plan are a few of the initiatives we can be proud of. These plans are people-centric, and they will work together to bring about a more positive experience for the members of the UVic community.

Q. During your installation, you spoke about wanting to be a catalyst for new relationships inside and outside of UVic and to help bridge relationships and support new ways of learning. Can you talk a bit about your engagement with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities (students, alumni) as Chancellor? 

A. I give credit to the Alumni Association for establishing the Indigenous Alumni Community. We provide support for students while they are studying at UVic but after convocation, we let them go off into the world. The network is a way for Indigenous alumni to come together and look after each other. I’m pleased that this program continues UVic’s support and networking especially for Indigenous people.

Since becoming Chancellor, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with Alumni while travelling in Europe and across Canada. What is always most interesting to me is where and how people have landed after graduation. When I ask them about what they remember about their time at UVic, consistently the answer is the people – the faculty members (both challenging yet supportive), students and staff.

In my interactions with Indigenous students, I am inspired by the number of Indigenous students studying here and graduating and their areas of study are so diverse. There are so many more supports for Indigenous students today to make their educational journey successful — moreso than back in my undergraduate days. For generations, Indigenous people have often associated the words "school" and "education" with challenging experiences. However, today, many Indigenous communities are reclaiming education as a powerful tool for cultural pride, self-determination and positive transformation.

I have had the opportunity to attend the presentations of graduating science students, graduation recitals at the Faculty of Fine arts and other ceremonies. I am always impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of our students about the work they are doing. The brilliance of the faculty and students at UVic is inspiring. In hindsight, it makes me appreciate even more what I received here at UVic in my undergraduate days.

Q. Your appointment began in January 2022. What are your reflections on convocation and how it has changed over the last three years?

A. My first round of convocation ceremonies was in June of 2022. The most important thing for students and their families is the walk across the stage and that sense of accomplishment. It’s an accomplishment for the students, their families and everyone who has supported them in their university journey.

For me, one of the highlights of the convocation ceremony remains going out and meeting with students and parents to hear their stories about what it took for them to cross that stage.

When my predecessor, Shelagh Rogers, was Chancellor there were some important changes made to the convocation ceremony to make it more inclusive of different abilities and respectful of different experiences.

I would like to continue to re-think our assumptions in all of our work, including our celebrations such as convocation. Convocation is about tradition, and it is hard to decolonize and be respectful of tradition. It is a matter of balance between tradition and inclusion. We need to do a lot of little things well, to continue breaking down our assumptions and the impact of those assumptions.

Q. What do you hope to focus on in your upcoming term? If you were to leave a legacy as a Chancellor, what do you hope to be remembered for?

A. In small ways, I want to ensure that UVic’s land acknowledgment has real meaning. It is important to me that it isn’t just a collection of words that we say. The actions that the university takes daily, especially those connected to strategic decisions, need to be in alignment with what we say to honour and respect the land acknowledgement.

In my role, I will continue to ask questions about whether local First Nations have been consulted and engaged, and whether we have thought about the impact our work may have on First Nations and all Indigenous people. As we expand the campus, how can we include local First Nations in that work – from the perspective of having Elders name our buildings, using timbers and other materials in buildings such as NCIL, ensuring our teaching spaces reflect Indigenous ways of teaching and learning.

It’s about how we live the words and values of our land acknowledgement.

Q. There are a lot of things happening at UVic – Indigenous health (through the new Faculty of Health), NCIL, language revitalization, what are you excited about? Where do we need to be braver – what could we be doing better on the Truth and Reconciliation file and what keeps us from being more progressive? 

A. All of these initiatives are important and exciting. The NCIL, First Peoples House, Elders who give their time, the new Faculty of Health, language revitalization - each in their own way are great examples for other post-secondary institutions to follow. We sometimes lose track of how innovative UVic has been Indigenizing the work that we do and how we study. There is still a lot of work to be done, but there is progress and initiatives such as the Indigenous Plan will continue to guide UVic’s work.

Where do we need to be braver – everywhere! Regardless of our role at UVic, we need to challenge ourselves. We need to do the little things right, one step at a time.