U of Alberta President Says DEI ‘Polarizing,’ Moving to Another Model

A building in the University of Alberta in a file photo. Shutterstock/meunierd

University of Alberta president Bill Flanagan says the school is moving away from its diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) objectives, and towards a new model focused on fostering community.

Flanagan made the comments in a Jan. 2, 2025, opinion piece for the Edmonton Journal.

“It is not the university’s role to take ideological positions but rather to create an environment that encourages dialogue, mutual respect, and the pursuit of knowledge,” he wrote.

“As the first major Canadian university to embrace access, community, and belonging, we are leading the way in reimagining how universities can foster excellence, open inquiry and rigorous debate.”

He said the decision came after “extensive consultations” with more than 1,000 community members.

He added that for some, the language of DEI had become “polarizing,” and focused “more on what divides us rather than our shared humanity.”

Flanagan also said that some saw DEI as an “ideological bias at odds with merit.”

“Words matter, and this evolution aims to craft a shared narrative with aligned actions that resonate more universally, emphasizing common ground and fostering authentic connections,” he wrote.

At the university, the terms diversity, equality, and inclusivity will be replaced with “access, community, and belonging,” he said.

“Access signals our ongoing work to remove financial and social barriers, ensuring equal opportunities for all. Community underscores our belief in collective well-being and shared purpose. Belonging reflects our goal to cultivate spaces where individuals feel valued for their unique contributions,” Flanagan wrote.

Flanagan said that the university’s DEI efforts were initially aimed at advancing the university’s mission as articulated by the first U of A president, Henry Marshall Tory, who wanted to “create an intellectual and spiritual atmosphere in which prejudice and hatred could not live, a just institution whose work would be to assist in the unification of the diverse elements which enter our national life.”

Flanagan said the time had come for the university to “evolve” to “better reflect the kind of community we strive to be.”

Flanagan, who first became president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta in 2020, was re-appointed to a second term in June 2024.

A number of U.S. universities have abandoned their DEI practices for hiring and promotions in the past year, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and the University of Michigan.

Some large corporations have also recently announced they will cease their DEI programs, including John Deere, Tractor Supply Co., Harley Davidson, Lowes, Ford Motors, and Toyota, among others.