Principal’s Office continues efforts to improve Victoria College academic programs
The Working Group on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in Victoria College Academic Programs is returning for another year. Established in Fall 2022 following a meeting between members of VUSAC, The Strand, and Victoria University administrators about implementing curriculum reviews, the Working Group met from January to April 2023 and included 12 student representatives from Victoria College programs, Vic One, and VUSAC.
In its first year, the Working Group covered a vast array of questions and topics. In addition to reflecting on what EDI looks like in Vic programs, as well as what it means to “decolonise” curriculum, the group discussed accessibility, inclusive pedagogies and forms of assessment, and representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives among faculty and their teaching materials. Critically, the Working Group also considered how to translate discussion into action. While still in development, an outcome of the group’s work is that the Victoria College website now describes the EDI activities of each of its six academic departments, allowing the sharing of crucial information and progress with the wider community.
The initial progress made by the Working Group was well-received by members of the Victoria College community. In an email interview, Victoria College Principal Angela Esterhammer, who chaired the Working Group in its inaugural year, stated, “I would say that from [the] outset this Working Group has been intentionally very student-focused, and last year it was a really valuable opportunity to listen to students’ lived experiences and their ideas about how to approach [EDIA] in academic programs.” Furthermore, VUSAC Equity Commissioner and former Working Group member Diana Vink says that it is exciting for its “potential to expand [and] encourage EDI initiatives in other aspects of Vic life.” While narrowly focused on academics, they believe “there are similar conversations that need to happen in regards to Vic’s housing, extracurricular life, and accessibility of student spaces.”
Staff, faculty, and students have high expectations for this year’s iteration of the Working Group. In an email statement, Grase Kim, Director of Administration for the Office of the Principal and a co-facilitator of the working group stated, “This year, we hope to continue to provide students with an opportunity to communicate their experiences,” noting that “Their input can also help enhance Victoria College academic programming in the future.” On the other hand, Diana suggests that the Working Group still has “a lot of work to do, and…would love if [it] served as a starting point for including student voices on EDI initiatives across campus life.”
The EDI Working Group is accepting applications from students in Victoria College programs and former Vic One students until November 6.
Shane Joy is a Co-Chair of the Working Group on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Victoria College Academic Programs.
