Removing barriers to create a safe and inclusive learning environment
As director of the Leadership Certificate Program and associate professor of organizational behaviour with the Alberta School of Business, Michelle Inness has a unique, research-based perspective on leadership.
“Good leaders need to be examples of the values of a particular organization and show that they are trustworthy by being ethical and making decisions that promote the group long-term, not just doing what looks good in the short-term,” said Inness, who received her PhD from Queen's University where she graduated with a dual major in organizational behaviour and social psychology.
Originally from Halifax, she joined the Alberta School of Business after moving to Edmonton in 2005; parts of her research aim to understand the implications of both positive and negative workplace experiences on our well-being.
“Most adults spend much of their adult lives at work, and those experiences become the experiences of our lives,” said Inness, whose focus of research also looks at the under-representation of women in STEM professions.
Now Inness is taking those research and leadership values into her role as assistant dean of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) with the School.
Currently two-thirds into the first year of her appointment, Inness has established a renewed emphasis on transparency and commitment by focusing on the mandates outlined in the three-year strategic plan for EDI.
“We don’t want to just tick boxes on a checklist; instead we are always thinking about what is meaningful in terms of change,” she said.
But removing barriers and biases to create an environment where all students feel safe, supported and reflected in the School’s culture won’t happen overnight.
Understanding Student Experiences
To date, Inness has had many informal conversations with students and staff about their perceptions of diversity and equity within the School, but until now, feedback has only ever been anecdotal.
Last fall, anonymous questionnaires were distributed to both the undergraduate and MBA student populations in order to gather a demographic snapshot of current business students and concrete data of student experiences.
While some responses reflect a safe and inclusive learning environment, a certain percentage indicated instances of biases in teaching and learning materials, microaggressions and marginalizations based on gender, sexual orientation and/or ethnicity.
Though Inness notes that certain biases are reflective of issues in society in general, it’s important to acknowledge the perspectives and experiences of the students most affected by barriers existing within the School environment.
“When we look at the student population within the School of Business, it's actually quite diverse; but, we do lack diversity in pockets, and when that happens, we need to understand why and do what we can to change it,” said Inness.
“We can always do a better job at weaving [EDI] into the fabric of our culture.”
In fact, last summer, VICE News published an article detailing accounts of racism at business schools across Canada, including the Alberta School of Business. In the article, current and former racialized students spoke with VICE News about their harrowing experiences.
“If there is an issue that we have to address — or even if there's a hint that there's an issue that we have to address — we need to be on top of it,” said Inness.
Moving Forward
While not even one year into the three-year strategic plan, Inness — along with the School’s administration — has begun to take concrete steps towards promoting a more diverse, equitable and inclusive learning and research environment.
Faculty have been provided with more resources on EDI in an effort to help facilitate discussions around diversity in the classroom in a non-threatening and productive manner. They’re also being encouraged to present teaching materials beyond white, cisgender case studies. And courses — like the foundational BUS 201 course — have been updated to better instill EDI values that they can carry on as future business people.
Further, they’re developing strategies to: provide more opportunities for women (particularly in majors that are historically male-dominated), to attract BIPOC students, and to create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ students, BIPOC students, and for all students, said Inness. And they’re developing initiatives to bolster recruitment efforts and build connections with underrepresented communities.
Inness also said more student groups have been reaching out for advice on how to proactively reduce barriers and provide equal opportunities among their cohorts.
The School is also committed to building a safe learning environment where students can explore a variety of ideas and perspectives.
“Ultimately, if you did decide to join the Alberta School of Business, we want to do what we can to be a supportive, welcoming and inclusive environment so that we’re not creating a barrier for your success,” said Inness.