Rising to the Challenge

Rising to the Challenge

The critical role of diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.

Submitted by Joseph Pazzano, director of Fanshawe’s Centre for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

The summer of 2020, marked by the pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, sparked a social awakening. New diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices opened, offering hope to equitydeserving communities. However, many feared this progress would be short-lived, and indeed, retreat has followed.

Today, many organizations are closing DEI offices or cutting resources, making the work unsustainable. Some are even changing the acronym to exclude “equity,” signaling a retreat from meaningful change.

Post-secondary institutions have been a focal point in the DEI debate. Critics argue DEI perpetuates ideology or admits meritless students and faculty. However, these arguments ignore the oppressive origins of Canadian post-secondary education, which historically excluded equity - deserving groups.

The focus should shift from proving DEI’s benefits to dismantling oppressive systems. Retreating from DEI work won’t stop the daily harms faced by equity-deserving students and faculty. DEI is essential for creating inclusive, thriving institutions.

Despite progress, current realities reflect ongoing inequities: only eight per cent of post-secondary leaders are racialized, less than three per cent are Indigenous, less than five per cent are persons with disabilities and eight per cent are 2SLGBTQIA+. Studies show that equity - deserving individuals enhance economic outcomes and produce innovative research.

The focus should shift from proving DEI’s benefits to dismantling oppressive systems. Retreating from DEI work won’t stop the daily harms faced by equity-deserving students and faculty. DEI is essential for creating inclusive, thriving institutions.

DEI work exists for students overlooked by post-secondary institutions. It exists for the trans student passionate about welding or the arts, the student with a disability struggling for accommodations and the student of colour facing anti - DEI criticism. Building community and recognizing our roles in perpetuating inequities is challenging but necessary.

We must equip students to dismantle systems of oppression, preparing them to be global citizens. The world has changed, and our institutions must reflect that change to be truly world-class.