In 2012 the Office of Indigenous Affairs and the position of Special Advisor to the President on Indigenous Affairs was created in response to the 2009 report A Special Obligation Report of the Presidential Task Force on Aboriginal Initiatives. Operating institution wide, the Office of Indigenous Affairs was tasked with a challenge that must be met with the input and support of the Memorial community. In 2016, under the authority of the Office of the President, the President's Advisory Committee on Indigenous Affairs (PACIA) was created. The purpose of the Committee was to advise the Special Advisor on Indigenous Affairs on all matters relating to the mandate of the Office of Indigenous Affairs, including academic programming, student support services, public engagement, and the development and implementation of the Strategic Framework for Indigenization. The first strategic priority of the framework called for strengthening Indigenous leadership within Memorial University. In response, the position of Special Advisor to the President was coverted to vice-president (Indigenous) in 2021. Susbsequently, the Committee became the Vice-President's Advisory Committee on Indigenous Affairs (VPACIA). The guidance of the Committee strengthens Memorial's commitment to Indigenous students and helps advance Universities Canada's Principles on Indigenous Education at Memorial University. The Committee includes representatives from the Labrador Campus, Grenfell Campus, Marine Institute, and the St. John's campus.

To learn more about the Vice-President's Advisory Committee, please read the Gazette piece "Committed to Aboriginal Students".

Committee Members:

• Catharyn Andersen, Vice-President (Indigenous)
• Paul Banahene Adjei, Associate Vice President (Indigenous Research), St. John’s campus
• Kelly Anne Butler, Interim Director, Indigenous Engagement and Reconciliation, Office of Indigenous Affairs, St. John's campus
• Valeri Pilgrim, manager, Indigenous Student Resource Centre, St. John’s campus
• Kristen Pittman, manager, Indigenous Affairs, Grenfell Campus
• Lynn Kendall, Assistant Professor, Business, Grenfell Campus
• Erica Samms-Hurley, Nurse educator, Western Regional School of Nursing, Grenfell Campus
• Ivan J White, Indigenous Education Specialist, Office of Indigenous Affairs, St. John's campus