GFC discusses third-party encampment review

At the January 27 meeting of the University of Alberta General Faculties Council (GFC), GFC discussed the third-party encampment review. Additionally, a university budget update was given. Question period included discussion on the transition from equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) to access, community, and belonging (ACB).

Third-party encampment review discussed

On May 11, 2024, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) removed a Palestine solidarity encampment from the U of A Main Quad at the request of the university. Following this, several staff and student associations demanded a third-party investigation into the removal. Board of Governors (BoG) Chair Kate Chisholm stated on July 2 that BoG would proceed with an independent third-party review. Retired Court of King’s Bench of Alberta Justice Adèle Kent was chosen to conduct the review.

President and Vice-chancellor Bill Flanagan expressed his appreciation for Kent’s work on the third-party encampment review. He also listed recommendations that the university is engaged in. The university will hold an information session on the crisis management team (CMT) for students; develop a policy on responsible investment; support students who are experiencing the impacts of world crises; and “consider and strengthen the need for respectful dialogue as part of the rights of freedom of expression and academic freedom,” he said.

U of A Students’ Union (UASU) President Lisa Glock said that the UASU is seeking to establish “a direct line of communications framework” with the Dean of Students (DoS) office. Additionally, Glock asked if the public will receive updates on the recommendations. Vice-provost (ACB) Carrie Smith said the ACB office “will be developing a dashboard to keep abreast of the commitments as they have been implemented.”

Board members ask questions about the third-party review

Ryan McKay, faculty of science representative, questioned the use of the term “bad actors” in the report. He asked why these individuals “weren’t themselves arrested” and why there “weren’t simply arrests for trespassing.”

Todd Gilchrist, vice-president (university services, operations and finance), said that the term was used “through interactions with law enforcement” and all participants of the encampment were trespassing.

“The matter of how the police conducted themselves was entirely their decision. The university had no role in that,” Flanagan added.

Quinn Benders, Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA) president, asked for a definition of the term “bad actors.” Benders also asked if the university will use this term again.

“This is not a term ever used by the university. This was a term used by the police,” Gilchrist said.

Ramish Raza, undergraduate arts representative, asked how much the review cost. John Lemieux, university secretary, said that the total cost was approximately $135,000.

Budget update, three motions pass

Gilchrist reported that the university is facing “significant financial pressures.” The university has implemented hiring controls and is exploring opportunities to increase revenue and reduce costs. The hiring controls will “remain in effect until further notice,” he said.

“Our revenue growth is just simply not keeping pace with our increasing expenses,” Gilchrist said. “We are making some difficult decisions to continue to be a financially sustainable organization.”

The motion to rescind the Code of Applicant Behaviour (CoAB) passed. The motion to remove application dates and deadlines from the university calendar and move them to other websites also passed. Additionally, the motion to add the vice-provost (ACB) as a voting member on the GFC Programs Committee passed.

Question Period

Layla Alhussainy, UASU vice-president (academic), asked how the ACB office plans to “uphold its EDI commitments” after the office’s name change. Smith said the office will have ongoing conversations with students and the UASU.

Jonathan White, faculty of medicine and dentistry representative, expressed disappointment with the “little consultation” done in advance of the university’s transition from EDI to ACB. Additionally, White asked if the transition involves the removal of EDI from all relevant university documents.

Smith said that the change reflects the ACB office’s goal “to be more specific in [their] language” to “better support everyone.”

“There are many aspects in which the [EDI] framework is absolutely appropriate. It is found in many of our documents and is part of our commitments as an institution,” Smith added.

Additionally, Gordon Swaters, Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta (AASUA) president, said that AASUA “was not consulted in any substantive way” regarding the transition. Swaters emphasized that article 23 of the 2020–24 U of A and AASUA collective agreement “explicitly commits the employer to the principles and objectives of EDI in their dealings with AASUA members.”

“The language of the collective agreement trumps policy,” Swaters said.