Graduate student equity review
Submitted on behalf of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Through the 2024-2025 academic year, the Faculty of Graduate Studies completed an equity review of the graduate student experience. The purpose of the review process was to provide insight into the successes, challenges, and gaps in addressing equity, diversity, and inclusion within the experiences of graduate students at the 樱花影视. To do so, a comprehensive review survey was developed and made available to all graduate students; in addition, consultations were conducted with key campus partners who interact with/support graduate students on a regular basis.
The resulting review report provides important insights into the many challenges that graduate students are currently facing. In particular, the barriers faced by international graduate students were consistently highlighted throughout the review process. With the data from both the survey and the consultations, the review team prepared recommendations across three specific graduate student areas: (1) academics; (2) accessibility and affordability; and (3) general supports.
Connection to the EAP
This activity advances Institutional accountability, Action 8:
Impact
The report and accompanying recommendations provide strategic direction to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in their efforts to better support graduate students. Several projects relating directly to the recommendations are already underway. Additionally, the review process has provided a replicable baseline for understanding graduate student experiences while also helping to foster relationships between units, roles and offices that have significant influence over the graduate student experience.
Learnings and reflections
Dr. Robin Hicks, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, reflected on the work involved in the review process stating, “One of the biggest pieces of learning for the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and me personally, is that communication is critical. It’s not enough to have good support structures, policies, processes, etc. in place. These must be shared with students, and shared effectively.” Throughout the process, it became clear that the well-intentioned idea of providing many different services and pathways of support for graduate students can be ineffective if it’s a source of confusion as much as anything. The working group quickly realized there was an overarching need to develop new consistent communication approaches to ensure students know what is available to them.