CAPU ADOPTS THE SCARBOROUGH CHARTER

The landmark decision marks a turning point in CapU’s relationship with its Black community

Matt Shipley (he/him) - Co-Editor-In-Chief

Tara Asadi - Illustrator

On January 15, 2023, Capilano University released a joint statement regarding the adoption of the Scarborough Charter’s four principles: Black Flourishing, Inclusive Excellence, Mutuality and Accountability. The Scarborough Charter was founded in November of 2021, but the University was initially apprehensive of the charter until their EDI audit, conducted by Veza Global, was concluded.

“There are important elements in the Scarborough Charter and we will move towards incorporating those into our overall EDI efforts, activities and actions,” said Kartik Bharadwa, VP People, Culture and Diversity at CapU. “Specific, attainable and measurable goals for organizations are key to any EDI initiative and the resources to attain them is the key to success.”

Importantly, while CapU has adopted many principles outlined in the Scarborough Charter, the University has yet to officially sign the charter. “No signature on a piece of paper is truly going to move the needle on making CapU an employer of choice for prospective employees or a university of choice for prospective students,” said Bharadwa, explaining the University’s reasons to avoid any official commitment. “We need to focus on what we are trying to achieve, and more importantly, how we are going to get there.”