Thank you to Office of Human Rights and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Partners in Leadership Education

Thank you to Office of Human Rights and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Partners in Leadership Education

The School of Leadership Studies wishes to thank The Office of Human Rights and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for their engagement as our Fall 2023 Leadership Challenge™ sponsoring organization.

The purpose of the Leadership Challenge™ is to create a mutually beneficial learning experience for a local organization and graduate students in the first year of their Master of Arts in Leadership. To create this learning experience, some inquiry with the organizational sponsor is necessary and we are grateful to Alejandro Campos-Garcia (he/him) and for his generous commitment of time and voluntary engagement in this activity. We also acknowledge the time and generosity of Russell Johnston, Director of Indigenous Education, Donna DesBiens, Instructional Designer and co-chair of the Diversity Action Group at RRU, and Dr. Niels Agger-Gupta associate professor in the School of Leadership Studies for being panel members during the Leadership Challenge™ presentations.

The Office of Human Rights and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is works with the entire RRU community to promote and protect the human rights of students, staff and faculty and advance the institutional agenda of equity, diversity and inclusion performs administrative, advisory, research and training roles. 

Using the descriptive study of RRU the overarching question of the Leader Challenge was, how might a person, team and organization, including RRU, become EDI-minded amidst these times? To become EDI-minded requires us and organizations to be aware of ongoing systemic and structural challenges, and develop resistance to be sustainable through the ebbs and flows of activism that supports EDI, and backlashes that reduce the gains of EDI. Because of societal pendulum swings between drivers and barriers, to be EDI-minded is an aspiration; it is not an endgame. To move toward sustainability and using RRU as an example, how might an EDI-minded person, team, and organization, including RRU, build resistance to ongoing systemic and structural challenges aimed at reducing EDI initiatives?

In response to participating in the Leadership Challenge™, Alejandro stated:

This exercise facilitated a dialogue between the academic and operational dimensions of the University. On the one hand, using a systemic approach that sought to activate their competencies as future decision-makers, learners from the Master in Leadership analyzed the rationale that informs the Plan, its goals, and the courses of action it proposes. They also received the request to identify gaps and suggest ideas to strengthen the Plan. This exercise allowed the course instructors to test this cohort's analytical, strategic and tactical skills. On the other hand, the Associate Director of Human Rights had the invaluable opportunity to include leadership students in the community consultation process the University is currently conducting. For the University, it was a privilege to have the dedicated attention of Master's Degree students to analyze the merits and limitations of Royal Roads' EDI institutional strategic plan.

The Leadership Challenge™ is a cornerstone of the first residency of the Master of Arts in Leadership program. For more information or to inquire about becoming a potential sponsor, please contact us at leadership.admin@royalroads.ca.

Photo Credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash