University of Alberta Rebrands Diversity Policy, Citing Internal Motivation

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University of Alberta Rebrands Diversity Policy, Citing Internal Motivation
DiversityEquityInclusion
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The University of Alberta has changed its diversity, equity, and inclusion policy to 'access, community, and belonging,' citing internal community feedback.

The president of the University of Alberta says the decision to rebrand its diversity, equity and inclusion policy was not influenced by critics of the initiative in North America. Bill Flanagan says the university in Edmonton officially renamed its policy this month to 'access, community and belonging' after consultations with more than 1,000 members of the campus community, including students, faculty and staff.

'We have to be frank that some of the language around DEI can be seen by some to be polarizing,' Flanagan said in an interview with The Canadian Press. 'But what's really driving this is not me reading the paper about what's going on in the United States ... this change in language is one that really originated from our own community. 'This was not a result of external matters.' Although the policy's name is different, he said, its fine print is not set to see a 'dramatic shift' and more consultations are underway. He said he believes the university is the first major Canadian post-secondary institution to make the change while others are also considering a rebrand. In the United States, diversity programs have become a source of ire since a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision declared race-based affirmative action programs in colleges unconstitutional. A wave of diversity offices on American campuses in Republican states have shut down. Several corporate giants have also halted their diversity initiatives, including McDonald's and Walmart. Diversity opponents say the practice leads to discrimination and promotes left-wing ideology, while supporters say it helps level the playing field for women and people of colour. In Canada, Alberta's governing United Conservative Party has signalled its support for the anti-DEI movement. 'Any post-secondary institution that maintains a DEI office, policy or equivalent shall lose government financial support,' states a policy proposal that passed at the UCP's annual general meeting in November

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Diversity Equity Inclusion University Of Alberta Rebranding

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