UBC’s progress on its commitments to equity and anti-racism

In April this year, UBC’s Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (ARIE) Task Force launched its final report containing 54 recommendations. You can read the report at https://antiracism.ubc.ca. 

The ARIE Task Force report recommendations are complementary to several other important strategic documents that support UBC’s continuing efforts to advance Indigenous rights and reconciliation, equity, anti-racism and inclusive excellence commitments. Other planning documents include the Indigenous Strategic Plan, the Inclusion Action Plan, the Employment Equity Plan, and the forthcoming Dimensions Action Plan for equity, diversity, and inclusion in research. 

Now that the ARIE Task Force has concluded its work, the ARIE Executive Co-Leads — the Vice-President, Students, and the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Okanagan — and the President’s Office will work closely with me to implement priorities. Dr. Jannik Eikenaar, Associate Provost, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism, UBC Okanagan, has also been appointed to work closely with me to champion efforts at the Okanagan campus.

At this time, I would like to provide an update on the implementation work.

Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework: A Roadmap for Change
To guide the UBC community through a more comprehensive, cohesive, and coordinated phase of implementation, a new Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework has been developed. The Equity & Inclusion Office is currently populating the Framework to develop a Roadmap for Change over three to five years — to align with the timeline of the university’s 2018-2028 Strategic Plan:Shaping UBC’s Next Century.

While the Equity & Inclusion Office will oversee UBC’s institutional commitments to equity and anti-racism broadly, the Indigenous Guiding Network will continue to oversee UBC’s specific commitments to Indigenous rights and reconciliation.

You can find more information at https://equity.ubc.ca/about/our-approach.

Next steps
In the months ahead, in addition to consulting with sponsors, partners, and community leads on the Roadmap for Change, the Equity & Inclusion Office will: 

• work with the Planning and Institutional Research Office on mechanisms to track progress;
• launch an inventory to help establish baselines and assess unit and institutional efforts; and
• develop a communication and consultation plan to ensure community members are regularly apprised of and can provide feedback on the work.

I look forward to continuing this journey to action UBC’s priorities over the next several years.

Arig al Shaibah
Associate Vice-President, Equity & Inclusion