As promised, Memorial University is providing the community with an update regarding its commitments to equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and human rights.   

First, we are pleased to report that the Board of Regents approved the university’s Human Rights Policy at its February meeting.   

The policy provides a consistent, institution-wide framework for advancing human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism across Memorial. It applies across all campuses and to all members of the university community, including students, faculty, staff, administrators and affiliated entities. It emphasizes prevention, capacity-building and early intervention. Through education, training, consultation and institutional guidance, the policy seeks to strengthen awareness of human rights principles, reduce systemic barriers and address concerns before they escalate. This proactive approach reflects best practices in human rights and equity-based governance.

The policy is a major step forward for the Memorial community. It is the outcome of the efforts of a team of knowledgeable and committed colleagues who moved this piece of work forward and ensured the result was a concrete commitment to maintaining an inclusive, respectful and diverse environment across all campuses of Memorial University. I extend my sincere thanks to everyone who played a part in bringing this important policy to life.

The Office of the Vice-Provost, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism led the development of the policy. Open consultations with faculty, staff and students took place in fall 2024, and focused sessions were held with faculty, staff and student union leaders, racialized and Indigenous community members, accessibility advocates and senior leaders to ensure the final draft reflects diverse perspectives. 

More broadly, the university has been working since January towards a university structure for EDI-AR and human rights to meet the needs of our diverse community and oversee the implementation of the policy. Specifically, Chinedu Wisdom, a project manager, Memorial graduate student and former president of the Society of Black Graduate Students with a strong background in this area, conducted consultations and developed a report and recommendations on best practices in EDI-AR and human rights across Canadian universities. This work will also inform the hiring of a senior leader. 

We are currently assessing the recommendations, which include a focus on a strong, highly visible, integrated and responsive framework for human rights and EDI-AR that reports directly to the president. Mr. Wisdom remains engaged and has turned his attention to the development of an implementation plan. The community can expect an update and additional details before June 1, 2026. 

The Human Rights Policy is available on the university policies website.