The UBC Equity & Inclusion Office has released the 2025 Progress Report on the Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework, marking two years since the launch of the StEAR Framework and Roadmap for Change in 2023.
In this Q&A, Dr. Arig al Shaibah, Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion, reflects on key milestones, areas of learning, and what’s ahead in the next phase of the StEAR Framework.
Q: The 2025 report shows encouraging progress. What key accomplishments or themes stood out to you this year?
Arig: One thing that really stands out is the level of engagement from across the university.
First, we have seen record responses to the Employment Equity Survey and had a great start with the Student Diversity Census this year.
Engagement of leaders across central offices is evident in the fact that 81 per cent of our institutional strategic actions are either completed or in progress–up from 73 per cent in 2024. We’ve made progress in areas like equitable hiring, inclusive teaching, human rights education, and accessibility planning. Across decentralized units, 90 shared information on meaningful initiatives and more than half of those touched on all 18 Roadmap objectives. And, students, faculty and staff involvement is also strong, with 117 applications for community-led StEAR Enhancement Fund projects over the past two years, 47 of which were funded.
Q: Where are you seeing real change—not just in commitment, but in action, and towards systems and culture change?
Arig: Great question. One area I am especially encouraged by is the increased degree of clarity among strategic action leads about their role in advancing their designated actions. Where actions require collaboration and coordination among multiple units, we have found that the process of providing updates for the purposes of StEAR reporting has prompted communication between units and helped close information gaps between different parts of the system. With increased clarity and communication, most actions are progressing towards completion.
That tells me leaders are investing in understanding how they can make a difference and following through. Culture change is harder to quantify, but it’s often visible in the day-to-day taken-for-granted moments–in how people show up to conversations, how decisions are made, or how leaders model inclusion. A read on the climate can usually tell us if our strategies are influencing our culture.
Q: The report notes that some equity indicators – especially for Indigenous, racialized, disabled, and 2SLGBTQIA+ groups – are still below where we want them to be. How is UBC responding?
Arig: Yes, we’re paying close attention to that. These gaps speak to systemic barriers that don’t shift overnight. We’re using this data to refine our strategies–whether it’s reviewing hiring practices, rethinking student supports, or deepening engagement with impacted communities.
We’re also beginning a broader assessment of the StEAR Roadmap to ensure our strategic actions and progress reporting capture nuance. Where indicators are below or moving away from the desired target, we’ll be focusing on understanding why–and what can be done differently. Through targeted interventions and the efforts of implementing StEAR overall, inclusive of the Scarborough Charter commitments towards Black excellence and the new accessibility plan, for example, I see the potential to further move the dial on all indicators in a positive way.
Q: Many employees want to support this work, but feel stretched or unsure where to begin. What would you say to them?
Arig: You’re not alone–and every action matters. Equity work doesn’t always have to be a big, visible initiative. Sometimes, it starts with small everyday decisions: how you run a meeting, how you listen, how you advocate for someone’s inclusion. I’d say: start where you are. Ask questions. Stay curious. This is a shared responsibility, each of us being able to contribute to a greater whole of impact – it’s not something one office or individual can carry alone.
Q: How is the Equity & Inclusion Office supporting decentralized teams doing this work in their own contexts?
Arig: We know that change happens in units, in departments, in classrooms and offices. That’s why we’re focused on being a partner in change–not just a top-down planning and evaluation unit. This year, we expanded the StEAR Inventory to better understand what’s happening on the ground. We’re seeing growing interest in building inclusive leadership and dialogic skills, which we’re responding to. We’re offering more tailored capacity building resources and training, engagement opportunities and funding for equity initiatives. And we’re working to make reporting easier and more meaningful, so it feels less like a task and more like a chance to reflect and grow.
Q: This year’s report talks a lot about strategic learning. What are some of the key lessons from this cycle?
Arig: We’ve learned that how we define progress matters. Some of our original strategic actions were too open-ended, which made it hard for people to report on them. We’re now developing more nuanced ways to describe progress–not everything is “done” or “not started.” Sometimes, how we interpret the work or progress of work needs recalibration, not a reset.
We’ve also learned that people want clearer language, better tools, and space to share what’s actually working in their context. That’s helping us become more responsive and relational in how we lead this work.
Q: Looking ahead, what can the UBC community expect in the next phase of the StEAR Framework?
Arig: We’re evolving. The next version of the Roadmap will have more targeted actions, clearer ways to signal the status of progress, and new areas of focus based on what we’ve learned. We’ll continue to expand our outcome measures and make space for decentralized leaders to exchange ideas and support each other.
More than anything, we want to continue to support a shift from compliance to meaningful engagement–from checking boxes to real change that people can feel in their day-to-day experience.
Q: On a personal note, what gives you hope in this work?
Arig: The people. I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many students, faculty and staff who care deeply–who are trying, even when it’s hard, even when it’s imperfect. That gives me tremendous hope.
The other piece is the continued learning that I and many of us working in this space continue to engage in. It’s engaging, inspiring and gives hope that as we learn, unlearn and refine our efforts in response to that, they are more impactful over time. That’s what keeps me going.
Q: If you could leave UBC employees with one takeaway from this year’s progress report, what would it be?
Arig: We’re in a time of complexity and polarization, but I see acts of courage and connection every day. Progress isn’t linear, and we still have work ahead–but we are moving forward, because of so many of you. Whether you’ve been leading change, quietly supporting it, or just starting to engage, you matter and your involvement matters. Thank you.
