EDI Committee

• VPRI – Key UBC initiatives: UBC believes that sustained excellence in research, education and engagement depends on the integration of diverse perspectives and approaches and the inclusion of those who have been historically, persistently or systemically marginalized. Learn more here.
• VPRI – EDI in research resource library: The following resources are non-exhaustive and are provided as a starting point for building EDI in research at UBC. Further research and reflection may be required and are strongly encouraged in the pursuit of research excellence that upholds equity, diversity and inclusion. Learn more here.
• EIO – Accessible and Inclusive Event Planning: The following guide is intended to assist everyone at UBC in planning events, public consultations, celebrations, and other occasions so that they can be equally accessible to, and inclusive of, community members who have a disability. Learn more here.
• EIO – Resources: Explore resources to help you navigate UBC or to support your individual or departmental efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism. Learn more here.
• EOI – Gender Diversity: Explore the following content designed to help students, staff, and faculty learn about different aspects of gender diversity and to find information about UBC’s systems, policies, and practices. Learn more here.
• EIO – UBC Inclusive Language Resources: “Language is the truest identifier of who you are and where you come from.” – Elder Larry Grant, 2014. Learn more here.
• Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence at UBC: Equity, diversity and inclusion are necessary conditions for attracting and retaining the best and brightest students, faculty and staff from around the world. This requires that we create inclusive environments free from racism in which to work, learn and live. Learn more here.
• Land Acknowledgement (Indigenous portal): UBC Vancouver is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. The land it is situated on has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site. Learn more here.

• Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP): UBC’s 2020 Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP) outlines eight goals and 43 actions the University will collectively take to advance its vision of UBC as a leading university globally in the implementation of Indigenous Peoples’ human rights. Learn more here. 
• Indigenous Portal: Your pathway to learning about UBC’s commitment to Indigenous engagement at its Vancouver campus and an information resource for Indigenous students, faculty and the wider community. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Units at UBC: Information about Indigenous academic and administrative units are located at UBC Vancouver. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Research Support Initiative (IRSI): IRSI supports research excellence and helps create and sustain meaningful collaborations with Indigenous communities, and facilitates research that is developed and conducted in collaboration with Indigenous communities and led by Indigenous perspectives. Learn more here.
• Supporting Aboriginal Graduate Enhancement (SAGE): SAGE is a student-driven, inter-disciplinary, cross-institutional, peer-support and faculty-mentorship program and network for Indigenous graduate students throughout their educational journey, and beyond graduation. SAGE promotes and fosters Indigenous values and ways of being in all areas of academia. Learn more here.
• Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (IRSHDC): Learn more here.
• X̱wi7x̱wa Library: X̱wi7x̱wa Library is a centre for academic and community Indigenous scholarship. Its collections and services reflect Indigenous approaches to teaching, learning, and research. Everyone is welcome to visit X̱wi7x̱wa Library. Learn more here.
• Centre for Indigenous Land-Based Education, Research and Wellness at xʷc̓ic̓əsəm: The xʷc̓ic̓əsəm Garden (Indigenous Health Research and Education Garden) has been at the UBC Farm since 2007. It is now managed by the Indigenous Research Partnerships (IRP), Faculty of Land and Food Systems, under the direction of Dr. Eduardo Jovel (Mayan-Pipil), along with the Medicine Collective—a group of Indigenous knowledge holders, and researchers who continue to support the transferring of Indigenous Land-based pedagogies for wholistic wellness. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Foundations: Learn more here.
• Time and Place at UBC: The timeline documents UBC’s key historical moments with Aboriginal peoples, while locating these moments in broader contexts at institutional, provincial, and national levels (i.e., UBC, BC, and Canada). Learn more here.
• APSC Indigenous Engagement Events: UBC Applied Science has presented the following Indigenous Engagement-related events. Learn more here.
• Weaving Relations Course: a self-directed course developed jointly by the Faculty of Applied Science and the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, exploring Indigenous histories, people, and contexts, as well as settler colonialism in Canada, through the lens of Indigenous-Canadian relationships. Learn more here.

• 2SLGBTQIA+ Health Resources: This guide is intended to provide resources, information, and definitions concerning the healthcare of 2SLGBTQIA+ patients. It was created to be used by health professionals, emerging health professionals, students, and 2SLGBTQIA+ community members. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Films and Filmmakers: X̱wi7x̱wa Library houses, and is continually building, a collection of films which profile Indigenous BC writers, directors, and producers. The overall collection includes more than 1300 films, of which at least 600 are by Indigenous filmmakers. Many of them are not available at other libraries. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Languages: This research guide provides strategies for finding information about Indigenous languages, including specific languages or language families, curriculum materials, language learning materials produced by Aboriginal communities, and language revitalization. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Maps and Mapping: This research guide provides direction for finding maps and mapping resources created from Indigenous perspectives as well as other maps relevant to research on Aboriginal topics. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Treaties: An introduction to treaties in BC and Canada, and Métis settlements. Learn more here.
• Decolonization and Anti-Racism Resources: In support of UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP) this guide assists in finding and facilitating decolonial & anti-racist research. Here you will find key resources, search strategies, & additional open access information sources. Learn more here.
• First Nations and Indigenous Studies: First Nations and Indigenous Studies is an interdisciplinary field grounded in the languages, histories, geographies, and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples. It may (or may not) intersect with critical approaches, such as decolonization and colonial studies. Learn more here.
• First Nations Languages of British Columbia: This research guide has been designed to help students, faculty and researchers in First Nation Languages access and utilize relevant resources available through the UBC Library. Some historical language names are innacurate, but useful for locating resources. Learn more here.
• Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice: The following guide was developed to support students, faculty and researchers in the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice access and utilize relevant resources available through UBC Library. Learn more here.
• Indian Residential School System in Canada: The Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre “works with partners across disciplines, at UBC and beyond, to facilitate dialogues and access to records and information that support engaging the legacies of the residential school system and the on-going impacts of colonialism in Canada.” IRSHDC is a, “Survivor-centred, trauma-informed space, [and]… works in service to Indigenous communities and peoples of Canada.”. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Children’s Literature: Learn more here.
• Indigenous Education (NITEP): NITEP hopes to bring the light of education to Aboriginal children in a much more effective way than has happened in the past. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Environmental and Science Resources: Learn more here.
• Indigenous Health: Learn more here.
• Indigenous Librarianship: “Indigenous librarianship unites the discipline of librarianship with Indigenous approaches to knowledge, theory, and research methodology.” (From Indigenous Librarianship by Burns, Doyle, Joseph & Krebs, 2009). Learn more here.
• Indigenous Poetry & Poets: Xwi7x̱wa Library houses, and is continually building, a collection of poetry by Indigenous writers from what is now known as Canada and beyond. Our collection includes many small-press publications and emerging poets, as well as the well-known authors in Indigenous poetry and publishing. Learn more here.
• Indigenous Publishers, Distributors & News Media – Research Guides at University of British Columbia : This research guide offers an overview of Indigenous publishers, distributors, and news media, and also introduces alternative modes of publishing, such as zines and podcasts. The guide also provides links to bookstores in the Vancouver area with strong Indigenous collections. Learn more here. 
• Métis Studies: “The term Métis refers to a collective of cultures and ethnic identities that resulted from unions between Aboriginal and European people in what is now Canada. Learn more here.
• Two-Spirit & Indigiqueer Studies: Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Studies is an interdisciplinary field grounded in the languages, cultures, histories, geographies, identities and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples in relation to gender and sexual expression. Learn more here.
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP): “The Declaration is a comprehensive statement addressing the rights of indigenous peoples. It was drafted and formally debated for over twenty years prior to being adopted on 29 June 2006 during the inaugural session of the Human Rights Council. The document emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations.” Learn more here.
• Xwi7xwa Research Guides: Learn more here. 

We know everyone needs a little help sometimes (or sometimes a lot, and that’s ok!). UBC and our communities offer a variety of supports for different needs. The following list is not comprehensive, but hopefully provides some starting points when help is needed. Note that students, postdoctoral researchers, staff and faculty all have access to different resources; we’ve tried to label who each link applies to, but feel free to reach out if you’re not sure where to start, if you feel like something is missing, or you otherwise need help navigating the resources available to you.

• UBC Student Support and Resources (undergraduates, and in most cases graduate students)
• GPS Health Wellbeing & Safety resources (graduate students and postdoctoral researchers)
• UBC Postdoctoral Association list of resources (postdoctoral researchers)
• Staff and faculty will find most resources and benefits via UBC HR website (staff and faculty)

Mental Health resources:

Counselling options for Students (undergraduate and graduate students) including UBC Counselling services

Resources for Faculty and Staff including information on Extended Health Benefits and the Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)

Financial resources:

UBC Graduate Student Financial Aid (GSFA): Emergency help with expenses including rent, medication, moving and leave of absence costs

UBC Emergency Funding (undergraduate and graduate students):

Emergency financial aid for unexpected financial needs including rent, emergency travel expenses, childcare, food and essential items, and emergency medical expenses not otherwise covered

UBC Enrolment Services (undergraduate and graduate students):

Help with creating a financial plan, options for tuition and fees payment, also offer financial wellness workshops

AMS Food Bank

UBC Meal Share: Financial support for food, including on-campus prepared foods or grocery items

Vancouver Rent Bank

Offers one-time interest free loans for low-income residence at risk of eviction or utility disconnection due to temporary financial crisis. For residents of the City of Vancouver only (does not include University Endowment Lands). Learn more here.

Burnaby Rent Bank

Similar program to above for residents of Burnaby

Vivien M. Srivastava Child-Care Stipend for Women Post-doctoral Fellows and Graduate Students

Offers support for childcare expenses incurred in prior year. Applications in spring. Amounts vary annually depending on number of applicants and funding available. Minimum amount $1000 (or actual expenses incurred if less), maximum $4000.

Where to get support:

Student Ombudsperson (serves students, but will take inquiries from anyone where students are involved)

Independent, impartial, and confidential resource serving students by helping navigate UBC policies and procedures, facilitate discussions, and provide guidance. Anyone can access services in the interest of achieving fairness for students.

UBC Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (everyone)

Supports any members of the UBC community impacted by sexual or gender-based violence, harassment, or harm.

UBC Respectful Environment Statement (everyone)

Includes link to full UBC Respectful Environment Statement as well as a list of actions to resolve conflict, and build and maintain a respectful environment for all. This policy covers matters of bullying and harassment except incidents related to discrimination (info linked from same page).

UBC Equity and Inclusion Office (everyone)

Contains links to resources including Human Rights advising

UBC Centre for Accessibility (students)

Supports students with disabilities, including through accommodations

UBC Workplace Accessibility (staff and faculty)

Supports faculty and staff with disabilities