Fanshawe announces Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan

After two years of consultations with students, employees and community partners, Fanshawe College has officially launched its first Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan.

Over the next five years, more than 100 EDI actions will take place in six core areas: equity-informed leadership; belonging in our workplaces and on our campuses; academics; student and employee experience; research; and supports for equity-deserving communities.

The goal is to guide students, staff, faculty and leaders to remove systemic barriers to full participation and build an inclusive college where everyone belongs at Fanshawe.

Equally important, progress on each action will be measured across the College, allowing the community to track results on the College’s website.

“We are living in an uncertain world, both in the college sector and in society more broadly. Despite that uncertainty, the message I have heard most loudly over the last two years is an enduring and authentic commitment to making our College a community where equity-deserving students and staff thrive,” said Joseph Pazzano, Fanshawe’s Director of the Centre for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. “Our college and society continue to change and adapt, but the need to foster a sense of belonging endures. This Action Plan reflects widespread commitment to EDI across our college community.”

The EDI Action Plan is part of Fanshawe’s strategic plan – Fanshawe 2035 – and the Action Plan will evolve based on lessons learned, reflection, and community input.

“By boldly leading this work, we are sending a powerful message: a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion is foundational to who we are as a college,” said Tania Caza, Vice-President of Students, Employees and Culture. “We want everyone to feel it the moment they arrive on campus: Fanshawe is the place to be. This is where you belong. This robust EDI Action Plan speaks to our commitment to leading with courage. How we move forward together will shape the Fanshawe of tomorrow.”

While the Action Plan has just launched, more than 25 per cent of actions are already underway or have been completed.

The five-year EDI action plan brings to life Fanshawe’s EDI Framework, A College Where We Belong, which launched in fall 2023. Through a number of dedicated working groups, the Centre for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion worked with executive and senior leaders, union representatives, and members of the EDI Task Force to craft a responsive, ambitious and

achievable action plan. This consultative approach has laid the groundwork for coordinated implementation across the College in the years ahead.