By Sufia Langevin – Associate Editor

Two years ago, the SRC announced the student EDI fund to support student initiatives in equity, diversity and inclusion within the Bishop’s community. Funded in collaboration with the Dean of Student Affairs’ Office and the Advancement Office, it was announced at convocation 2021, asking alumni for donations. The SRC EDI Fund now contains $40,000, but students have not been able to access it in the last two years.

This spring, Bishop’s will host the Canadian Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Student Leadership and Innovation Summit as part of a project put on by the 2022 Cohort of the 3M National Student Fellowship. As a member of the fellowship, I have been trying to access this fund since November, without success. Access to these funds would be very helpful in reducing barriers for participants and organizers alike, supporting the success of this important event.

Bishop’s and the SRC received great publicity in creating this fund. In August 2021, the Sherbrooke Record published an article called “Bishop’s celebrates Equity, Diversity and Inclusion”, and Universities Canada published an article by the same name in October 2021. However, no applications have been made available, and the SRC website lists the EDI Fund as “coming soon” despite having been created two years ago. Two years is too long between creating a fund and making it publicly accessible, especially considering that most in-province degree programs are three years in length. This fund has served well for publicity for the SRC and the university but has yet to offer any benefit to students doing on-the-ground work.

This delay may be, in part, due to the fact that there has been heavy turnover in the position of VP Student Life, the role responsible for overseeing the committee that receives applications. In the last two years, there have been four separate VPs of Student Life on the SRC, either elected or appointed. While the turnover rate may be a factor, it does not justify the inaccessibility of funds. 

The current SRC VP Student Life, Olivia Woods, stated: “This has been a project in collaboration with many board members and the university, and we are excited to be almost ready to accept applications. It has been a long time coming but I think that shows how much effort and work has been put into this fund.” Having taken the position earlier this semester, Woods has prioritized getting the EDI Fund ready for student applications, and shared the progress she has made so far. Having been recently elected to the VP Student Life position for the coming school year, she estimates that the fund will be ready by the end of this school year. 

After years of waiting, students may finally be able to apply for these funds. Once available, the EDI fund will certainly support student initiatives and help break barriers.