UBC Creative Writing’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is responsible for developing strategies to promote EDI in the School of Creative Writing.
Acknowledgement: The School of Creative Writing at UBC Point Grey is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people.
Mission Statement
The UBC School of Creative Writing aims to foster a welcoming and inclusive space for all members of our community. We are engaged in an ongoing process of building and reinforcing anti-racist and decolonial pedagogies and structures in our School, and centering equity, diversity, and inclusion in our teaching, learning and hiring. We are committed to ensuring that our classrooms and community spaces are safe and respectful for individuals from historically marginalised and oppressed communities – these include BIPOC, queer, trans, two-spirit, disabled and neurodivergent individuals, as well as women.
Our strategies include:
- Centering equity, diversity, and inclusion in our recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff.
- Diversifying our reading lists, source materials, lecture content and range of visiting writers.
- Supporting and collaborating with our students in interrogating the cultural, historical, and literary contexts that inform craft and technique choices.
- Maintaining strong stances against violence and harassment.
- Being willing and open to engaging in difficult conversations around issues of identity and oppression.
- Reading outside of our own personal preferences and comfort zones.
- Familiarising ourselves with ongoing discourse pertaining to issues of race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, neurodiversity and cultural diversity.
Make a Suggestion or
Share an Idea
We warmly welcome suggestions and ideas for programming, resources and improvements within the School of Creative Writing to support our EDI efforts.
If you have a concern or complaint related to equity, you can bring your concern to the committee in private using the suggestion box, or go here to review the formal options available to you.
The EDI Committee is an advisory group supporting the School of Creative Writing. It does not have a formal decision-making function or an Ombuds role.
Open Coffee Chat
We’re pleased to offer virtual and in-person coffee sessions for our students, faculty and staff who are interested in discussing a variety of writing and publishing topics during the academic year.
Indigenous Engagement
We warmly welcome applications from Indigenous students to our BFA and MFA programs. Our alumni include Eden Robinson, Katherena Vermette, Jordan Abel, and Michelle Good.
Resources
We invite those affiliated with the School of Creative Writing to read these helpful resources on writing and pedagogy.
Committee Members
Taylor Brown-Evans (Faculty), Tania De Rozario (Faculty), Maureen Medved (Faculty), Alix Ohlin (Faculty), Christine Palka (Staff), Lindsay Wong (Faculty), Meagan Black (Student) Roshni Riar (Student), Gabrielle Rutman (Student)
The EDI Committee is responsible for implementing UBC’s policies related to equity, diversity and inclusion within our unit.
About Equity at UBC
Through our Respectful Environment statement, the University envisions a climate with the best possible conditions for learning, research and work that is supported by an environment that is dedicated to excellence, equity, diversity and inclusion. Diversity, equity, and excellence are not only institutional values; they are also about the people who make up our UBC community.
Please see UBC Student Services for resources related to:
- Disability
- Discrimination and harassment
- Race and ethnicity
- Sexuality
- Students who are parents
- Trans and gender diversity
- Women on campus