Shaping a More Equitable and Accessible University
The U of A is committed to cultivating an institutional culture that values, supports, and promotes equity, human rights, respect and accountability among all members of our university communities. As part of this, we are planning how to make equity integral to our working and learning culture by shifting from EDI as 'in addition to,' to EDI as 'what we do.’ We invite your input to help achieve this.
Read more about the development
Creating Our New Story - Draft Integrated Action Plan
How do we continue to build a vibrant, equitable, and interconnected university together? This incredible undertaking requires that we tell a different and transformative story. We must create new narratives, identify new patterns, and enact practices that center mutuality, reciprocity, and responsibility. We must transform the work of EDI - together.
As part of this work, the EDI Plan Steering Committee has released a draft of the Integrated Action Plan for consultation, to get feedback on the multi-dimensional model that has been developed from the extensive input gathered from the university community. This Action Plan hopes to inspire community members to join us in our pursuit of co-creating a better future for all.
Upcoming Engagement Activities
On November 4 and 5, Dr. Carrie Smith, the Vice-Provost (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) will be hosting engagements for the university community to provide feedback on the draft Integrated Action Plan for Institutional Interconnectedness. Those unable to attend the session are encouraged to provide written input online.
Register NowContinuing Our Stories – What we heard
The draft plan is based on extensive consultations. The approach took on an organic format and tapped into relations and connections to encourage open dialogue, trust and meaningful participation. EDI Leads played a pivotal role in facilitating conversations in the form of one-on-one discussions as well as in small group settings for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members and staff across different units and administrative service portfolios on campus. Formal engagements that involved structured conversations with established governance bodies as well as key advisory councils within the university were designed to harness the collective expertise and perspectives of these groups, providing a strategic dimension to the feedback.
In March and April 2024, the engagements shifted to focused working sessions, which allowed us to connect with faculty, staff and students in exploring possible answers to big questions and imagining practical paths forward in making equity, diversity and inclusion an integrated part of what we do at the U of A. The moments of connection and storytelling emphasized a relevant community-driven approach to transforming our university through a shared endeavor.
Review “Continuing Our Stories,” which captures what we heard in those conversations.