A thorough investigation spanning three months and addressing over two dozen allegations against the president of First Nations University of Canada, initiated by the institution’s board in 2023, culminated in a damning evaluation of her behavior. In a detailed 200-plus page report by Deloitte Legal, an affiliate of the university’s then-accounting firm Deloitte LLP, it was revealed that President Jacqueline Ottmann had established a “circle of favor” within her office, favoring certain individuals while excluding others from influence, a practice referred to as ’empire building.’
The report highlighted Ottmann’s breaches of financial policies, disregard for oversight and control systems, and involvement in multiple instances of nepotism. Notably, Ottmann terminated the university’s VP of finance and administration, Jason Wong, who was a key whistleblower, during the finalization of the report in mid-2023. A separate confidential report by Deloitte Legal indicated that the firing of Wong violated several university policies and was deemed retaliatory, potentially discouraging other employees from raising concerns.
Despite the substantiation of most allegations against Ottmann by Deloitte, a majority of the FNUniv board, consisting of First Nations chiefs, chose to support her, while some, including Allan Adam, the board’s vice-chair, advocated for her dismissal. Concerns were raised about the university’s governance and potential recurrence of past political interference issues. The board chair, Sherry Saevil, expressed unwavering confidence in Ottmann amidst the investigations’ findings.
Deloitte’s investigation uncovered instances of Ottmann’s involvement in ’empire building’ and nepotism, as well as her failure to adhere to financial controls, exceeding the budget, and making unilateral decisions without proper consultation. Recommendations were made for the board to assume control of university operations until Ottmann’s performance issues were addressed.
The FNUniv’s history of political interference resurfaced, prompting fears among stakeholders, including concerns raised by Audrey Dreaver, an assistant professor at the university, regarding the dismissal of VP Wong and the potential impact of politicized decision-making. Dreaver criticized the lack of oversight by federal and provincial governments, pointing out the repeated failures to prevent politicization of the university’s board.
Efforts to seek responses from the governments regarding Ottmann’s investigations were met with limited engagement, with Ottawa and the Saskatchewan government emphasizing the importance of accountability and governance best practices at FNUniv.