UBC’s Engagement and Commitment to the Student Diversity Initiative
The Student Diversity Initiative (SDI) is an initiative through the Equity & Inclusion Office that aims to address the complexities of the diversity of our campus at all levels – students, staff, and faculty. The SDI seeks to embed UBC’s core values of equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the operations, systems, culture and organizational structures that directly impact the campus experience for diverse students.
Towards Inclusive Excellence
The Student Diversity Initiative has adopted Inclusive Excellence (IE) as the underlying principle for UBC to achieve its strategic vision for diversity and inclusion. Inclusive Excellence conceptualizes diversity beyond demographic features.
UBC’s Commitment to Diversity Fund and the Student Diversity Initiative enables the University to dialogue, evaluate, and respond to the deeper challenges of our diverse student population and campus experience. The Commitment to Diversity Fund scope is systemic and strategic, and will:
- Focus on integrating diversity, inclusion and intercultural competencies into all aspects of the campus
- Address priority populations as identified in the Get Set Phase consultations
- Build sustainable plans, policies, practices, and support their implementation to ensure UBC achieves Inclusive Excellence
- Build collaborative initiatives with faculties and units that are embedded in the local context, while building on their current successes
By working at a systems level and in deep collaboration with faculties, administrative units and students, the Commitment to Diversity Fund will support identified priorities across campus to embed and actualized values of equity, diversity, and inclusion at the unit and Faculty level and across the student campus experience.
Best practices to achieve Inclusive Excellence focus on the necessary structural and systemic changes that work towards embedding diversity systemically into programs, policies, and practices. Inclusive Excellence is fundamental to leveraging the quality presence and impact of the University in the broader society.
For more information regarding the Student Initiative, e-mail student.diversity@equity.ubc.ca.
Background Links & Resources
- Tuition Increase Announcement (October 2015)
- AMS Submission to the UBC Board of Governors on Proposed International Tuition Increases (2015)
- Board of Governors April & June 2016 Meeting Minutes