During student-led UBC Commerce Undergraduate Society FROSH in September 2013, chants promoting rape culture and Aboriginal stereotypes occurred. In October 2013, then UBC President Stephen Toope established the Task Force on Intersectional Gender-Based Violence and Aboriginal Stereotypes (IGBVAS) in order to develop a set of actionable recommendations that would result in transformative and robust changes to campus culture.
In 2014, in response to the recommendations made by the IGBVAS Task Force, the Provost developed action plans to reiterate UBC’s commitment to equity and diversity.
Based on the Provost’s action plans, the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) created an internal Equity and Diversity Working Group (EDWG) with a one-year mandate that was later extended to two years and has now transitioned into a standing committee.
This 45-minute interactive presentation will showcase the work of how the Equity and Diversity Standing Committee (EDSC), formerly known as the (EDWG), came to be a unit-wide initiative and the processes in which the EDSC transitioned into a standing committee. Participants will engage in dialogue and strategize on ways to build capacity within their own units on issues related to campus climate. Participants will share experiences and strategies for how to meaningfully engage campus community members in difficult conversations.
