Dear GFC Members,
On behalf of the Board of Governors, I acknowledge receipt of the General Faculties Council (GFC) recommendation concerning the Recruitment Policy and acknowledge the seriousness with which GFC has considered these issues.
Following deliberation, the Board reaffirmed its support for the university’s commitment to Access, Community, and Belonging and has passed the revised Recruitment Policy.
Access affirms that opportunity must be genuinely open. Barriers – procedural, informational, structural, or cultural – must be addressed. Recruitment processes must be transparent, positions broadly advertised, criteria clearly defined, and deliberations principled, with standards of scholarly merit upheld. The policy does not predetermine outcomes; it ensures that appointments arise from open competition conducted through consistent and well-designed procedures.
Community and Belonging recognize that academic excellence flourishes in a respectful and intellectually open environment where all members can contribute fully, and diverse perspectives strengthen inquiry and discovery.
This approach is consistent with the University of Alberta’s stated values – including unwavering curiosity, shared accountability, impact through excellence, and a spirit of community. Transparent and principled recruitment processes reflect accountability, while broad outreach, open competition, and the consistent application of clearly defined scholarly criteria uphold excellence.
Earlier approaches emphasized representation metrics as indicators of progress. While such data provides an important snapshot, it does not, in itself, ensure fair and transparent decision-making. Access, Community, and Belonging therefore centres the integrity of the recruitment process – broad outreach, consistent application of criteria, and careful deliberation – embedding fairness throughout rather than assessing it primarily after decisions are made.
The Board also recognizes that the university operates within external regulatory and funding frameworks that shape aspects of recruitment and reporting, including the requirements of the Tri-Council agencies and the Canada Research Chairs Program. Where research sponsors or governments require specific equity-related reporting, targets, or eligibility conditions, the university will continue to meet those requirements fully and in good faith. Compliance with these obligations is essential to maintaining research support and public trust. At the same time, the university’s internal framework for recruitment and institutional culture remains grounded in open opportunity, consistent process, and an academic environment in which all members can thrive.
Academic hiring procedures fall within GFC’s mandate and will continue to be developed in consultation with GFC and brought forward through appropriate governance processes.
The Board’s responsibility is to safeguard the university’s long-term interests and to ensure the conditions in which research, teaching and learning, and community engagement can flourish. The Board is satisfied that the revised Recruitment Policy maintains fairness and broad opportunity while preserving merit-based evaluation and academic standards.
Members of the university community may differ in terminology or approach. What remains shared is a commitment to rigorous governance, academic excellence, and a university in which all members feel valued. These commitments are reflected in SHAPE, Changing the Story, Braiding Past, Present and Future, and the Framework for Research Excellence. The Board is confident that the revised Recruitment Policy advances these principles in a manner consistent with the university’s academic mission and values.
Sincerely,
Nizar Jaffer Somji
Vice-Chair, Board of Governors