In the last 48 hours the world of higher education in Canada and the United States have been reminded that social, cultural, and political issues still impact peoples’ ability to safely pursue education.
On Wednesday, there was a horrific hate-filled attack on a professor and their students in a Gender Studies course at the University of Waterloo. We continue to espouse that discrimination and violence have no place in our educational institutions, create programs to support our learners, and yet these acts continue to occur in our communities. This senseless act of violence has rocked a school and community.
Such actions result in questioning of ones own identity, beliefs and actions, and whether it is safe to express themselves openly. Our hearts go out to our colleagues at the University of Waterloo, their students and community members who are processing the impacts of these events, and know that we stand in solidarity with the community to uphold anti-discriminatory values and actions.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court in the United States rejected affirmative action at colleges and universities, citing that the race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina were unlawful. This ruling has an impact on access to education for students who have been traditionally excluded from the higher education system in the United States and further creates a divide across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. Although race-conscious admissions programs are not prevalent in Canada, there are several programs at our institutions that attempt to lift-up and recognize the impact that factors like inter-generational trauma, historical exclusion, racism and misogyny have done for learners. Advocacy to provide greater access to education for students should be at the top of our focus to continue to move education forward in our era.
As professionals in higher education in Canada, we are not immune to the impact on decisions like this in the United States. ARUCC will continue to work with our colleagues in the United States to support efforts to ensure greater access to education through the work of AACRAO and other partners.
As a Board we are working through a strategic planning process for the association and see inclusion, access, representation, and equity at the foundation of what we need to ensure exist in our community. The Board will be reflecting and consulting with membership on how we can support capacity in our institutional and collective efforts to meaningfully and equitably expand access to education.
Should you wish to do your own reflection and take action, here are some suggestions to bring awareness to these two events, and the systemic issues they are built from:
- speak about the impact gender-based violence has on our work environments and student safety;
- encourage education about the meaning free-speech and actively denounce hate-speech;
- reflect on admissions, recruitment and engagement programs that elevate and support those traditionally excluded from higher education, and what you can do to build, grow and support them further; and
- leverage school or provincially accessible student census, or student identity data to inform your professional practice.
It’s even more devastating that these events come at the end of Indigenous Peoples History Month and Pride Month but offers a reminder that our work continues to ensure greater education, equity and safety in our world.
Should you have an idea of how ARUCC can further support you in your work on these and other topics, please reach out at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Annik Gelineau, Chair
Darran A. Fernandez, Vice-Chair