Policy ‘refresh’ adopts new language of ‘access, community and belonging’; critics claim move part of EDI backlash
The University of Alberta is moving to eliminate explicit equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) language from its hiring rules, capping a two‑year shift that has turned the Edmonton campus into a national test case for how far Canadian institutions will go in rebranding – or rolling back – formal EDI commitments.
A draft recruitment policy heading to the university’s board of governors removes a long‑standing recommendation that, when two candidates are similarly qualified, hiring panels should favour applicants from historically under‑represented groups. It also strips references to correcting employment disadvantages from the policy preamble, according to CBC News.
The proposal follows the university’s highly publicized decision in early 2025 to abandon the “diversity, equity and inclusion” label and instead frame its work around “access, community and belonging” (ACB), a move President Bill Flanagan has described as a “refresh” of the institution’s inclusion strategy rather than a substantive retreat, the Canadian Press reported.
For HR leaders, the developments at the university highlight how quickly the ground can shift around equity‑focused hiring, and how language changes can foreshadow concrete policy revisions.
From EDI to ‘access, community and belonging’
On Jan. 2, 2025, the University of Alberta became the first Canadian institution to publicly announce that it was moving away from the EDI framework, unveiling the ACB terminology after a year‑long consultation process that officials say included more than 1,000 “touchpoints” with community members.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Flanagan said the university officially renamed its diversity policy to “access, community and belonging” after those consultations, arguing that some of the previous language “can be seen by some to be polarizing” but insisting the shift was driven internally rather than by external politics.
The ACB approach was rooted in the institution’s effort to renew its 2019 EDI strategic plan, including campus‑wide consultations, diversity surveys and an assessment of progress, according to University Affairs. That process highlighted both growing attention to embedding EDI into teaching, research and service, and ongoing structural barriers in areas such as hiring, resources and contradictory policies.
The rebrand is laid out in an action plan titled “Changing the Story: An Integrated Action Plan for transforming our vibrant and connected community,” which pledges to integrate equity‑related commitments across institutional planning rather than keeping them siloed.
Supporters inside the administration have framed ACB as an evolution, arguing it emphasizes accountability and lasting cultural change over “checkbox” compliance. Critics, including some faculty leaders, have called it a rebranding exercise that leaves key power imbalances unaddressed, University Affairs reported.
Equity hiring preference under review
The new flashpoint is the university’s recruitment policy. Under the current rules, when two candidates are similarly qualified, hiring committees are encouraged to favour individuals from groups that have historically faced barriers in employment.
However, that language is now slated for removal. A draft policy headed to the board of governors also omits references to correcting employment disadvantages, even as it asserts a commitment to fair recruitment and the removal of barriers, CBC News reported.
The university has said the policy revision has been through consultations since mid‑2025 and is intended as a step toward addressing barriers that persist “in practice” despite aspirational language.
However, some academics and staff representatives say the proposed changes undercut assurances that the ACB rebrand would not weaken underlying equity commitments. At a recent meeting of the general faculties council (GFC), a motion opposing the draft recruitment policy passed after a women’s and gender studies professor raised concerns about transparency, consultation and institutional autonomy, according to CBC News.
Union leaders representing academic staff have also warned that the revisions appear to form part of a broader backlash against EDI initiatives.
The final decision now rests with the board of governors, which is expected to consider the policy at its March meeting.
Political pressures and governance questions
The University of Alberta’s internal debates are unfolding against an increasingly fraught political backdrop. In November 2024, delegates at Alberta’s United Conservative Party (UCP) annual general meeting adopted a policy proposal stating that any post‑secondary institution maintaining a DEI office, policy or equivalent “shall lose government financial support.”
Flanagan told the Canadian Press that the ACB rebrand “was not a result of external matters” and that the shift in language originated from the campus community.
However some professors see the timing as “unconvincing,” arguing that the provincial government’s stance on EDI, together with interventions by certain board members, point to mounting political pressure on university governance and academic autonomy, reported University Affairs.
The university has also been navigating the recommendations of the provincially appointed Mintz panel on post‑secondary education, which urged institutions seeking public funding to commit to a culture of greater “neutrality” and warned against hiring for reasons other than merit. Union representatives say they do not see the timing of those recommendations and the revisions to the recruitment policy as coincidental, said CBC News.
Other Alberta universities, including the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge, are already moving to fold EDI offices into broader “institutional commitments” or “accessibility, belonging and community” portfolios, reported University Affairs.
