University Community Care
Care and conversations during crises and across differences
Current affairs, crises and tragedies impact the university’s diverse communities and people—and the communities and people we care about—in many and very different ways. Students, alumni, faculty members, staff members, donors and community partners have a tradition of coming together during trying times, finding ways to support each other and our greater communities. At the same time, navigating learning, teaching, working and global research environments during crises can be challenging.
On this page, you can find:
- U of A services and resources available to support students, faculty and staff
- Pathways to engage on crises and across differences
- What the university community is doing
- Relevant policies and procedures
Supports available during a crisis
U of A students, faculty and staff do not have to navigate difficult situations by themselves. If you have been affected by a crisis at home or abroad resources are available to support your health, safety and well-being.
The services listed here are available and welcoming to all members of our diverse community.
Personal safety | Academic support | Online safety | Mental well-being | In the classroom
Community Support
Various on and off campus community resources and groups support U of A community members.
Quick links to:
- Support for Palestinian, Arab or Muslim community members
- Support for Jewish or Israeli community members
Do you need help navigating U of A services and resources? Contact the Student Service Centre, Staff Service Centre or Equity, Diversity and Inclusion services.
Our Commitments
The university community is a diverse group of 65,000+ individuals who belong to many different community groups on campus and beyond. Our community groups are important to us. They help define who we are as human beings and as academic community members. They are part of our learning, teaching, and research successes. Even when they challenge us. Our differences play a significant role in expanding academia and finding innovative approaches to shared challenges and solutions—which are all fundamental experiences on university campuses.
The below U of A commitments guide our communities in navigating differences and impactful events:
- Timely support to U of A community members experiencing emergency crisis events
- Safe, respectful and welcoming university environments for all members of the U of A’s diverse community while we study, work and learn
- Open inquiry, dialogue and debate through freedom of expression and academic freedom
- Community care and conflict resolution approaches that are developed by or in partnership with the communities they are servicing
- Protections against discrimination, harassment and hate
- Taking action to support Indigenization and decolonization
- Institutional positions that reflect our mission of teaching and learning, research and creative activity, community involvement and partnerships, as well as the diversity of U of A communities
Community-led pathways to learning, collective care + conflict resolution
During May and June 2024, various community members and groups came together sharing perspectives, impacts, concerns, considerations, advice and needs following the May 2024 encampment on North Campus. Through conversations, members of the equity, diversity and inclusion office and network across campus worked together with groups and individuals who felt harmed and hurt to describe six pathways to learning, collective care and conflict resolution. Read more about Moving through Conflict »
These recommendations and dialogues have informed the university community’s activities and engagement opportunities, and will continue to do so.
Opportunities to Engage
Are you interested in taking part in conversations around free expression, protest and debate on university campuses? Let us know »
Learn more about what we are doing together
- Support services are available to members of the university community according to their needs.
- Universities in Times of Crisis is an event series for you to participate in discussions that address the role post-secondary institutions play in times of crises and societal transformation.
- Mutual Aid Project Micro-grants are available to U of A groups to foster imagining and learning about ways through harm and grief together.
- A student-university working group is meeting on the demands of the May 2024 encampment.
- Student bursaries + emergency funding are available to assist those experiencing financial shortfall. See other academic supports for current students.
- Fundraising for students affected by civil war, persecution or other life-threatening situations through bursaries and the David Turpin and Suromitra Sanatani Award for Refugees and Displaced Persons.
- The university is exploring how to support displaced Palestinian students and scholars and the rebuilding of Gaza’s universities. More information is coming this fall.
- The University of Alberta is committed to providing safe and secure environments for learning, living, working and activities on our campuses.
- A Culture of Care is the University of Alberta's three-year safety action plan to embed health and safety as a core value within the university community.
- In 2024-25, the university community is exploring ways of building capacities and seeking opportunities for transparent and non-hierarchical paths to conflict resolution. Contact the vpedi@ualberta.ca to learn more.
- The U of A community is committed to being a place of open inquiry, dialogue and debate, as captured by our Statement on Freedom of Expression. Academic freedom is also a post-secondary foundational right unique to academic staff and postdoctoral fellows, realized within the AASUA collective agreement.
- Facilitated by the Office of the Provost, the university community is currently exploring ways and resources to foster respectful dialogues and free expression awareness on campuses. To connect with someone on this topic, contact the Office of the Provost (pvpa@ualberta.ca).
- Facilitated by the Office of the Provost and External Relations, the university community is currently exploring additional ways and resources to:
- ensure university crisis support information and paths are accessible and equitable; and,
- build awareness of the roles, responsibilities and activities of the university, university leaders and university community support offices in times of collective tragedies and geopolitical crises.
- As directed by the Board of Governors, an independent review of the May 2024 encampment is underway.
- The university has disclosed its University Endowment Pool (UEP) investment holdings as of March 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Going forward this list will be disclosed every year.
- The Board of Governors has started work on a review of the Board’s investment policies and practices, including opportunities for community consultation. Learn more about the policy and review >>
Policies + Procedures
University community care is supported by the university’s full suite of policies, procedures, statements, agreements and codes of conduct.
General sources of university-wide regulations and standards include UAPPOL, the University Calendar, staff agreements, university governance policies, standards and codes of conduct. Below are direct links to the policies, procedures and agreements that come up most often in conversations around university community care.