For the 2017/18 school year, the UBC Political Science Students’ Association (PSSA) will be hiring a Vice-President (VP) Equity and Inclusion for the first time. It's also likely that this marks the PSSA as one of the first student associations at UBC to have explicitly created a position to promote inclusivity.
According to PSSA President Javier Barreto-Gomez, the position was created to ensure that the political science faculty remains an open and inclusive learning environment within the current “increasingly hostile” political climate. He has also made inclusion the association’s theme for the upcoming year.
“It’s more of an academic response to the negative discourse and rhetoric that we’ve had within political science and I think politics in general,” said Barreto-Gomez. “Some of it has been affected by xenophobic rhetoric, negativity overall and not really valuing academic research and diverse opinions.”
Specifically, he pointed at the political climate in the US when outlining this political hostility, but he also acknowledged that this negativity and xenophobia is occurring in Canada as well. One mentioned example of this is the pepper spray attack on Syrian refugees in Vancouver that happened in January 2016.
“As an academic myself, I figured that this would be an appropriate response to highlight this surge, not only to members of the arts faculty but specifically also political science students who are entering the faculty,” he said. “Many of them are aware, of course, but I just wanted to let them know that I am there for them, and all of their views are valid to me, at least in terms of a UBC PSSA hearing them and having them heard.”
Through the creation of this position, Barreto-Gomez hopes that the PSSA can counter this rhetoric and encourage an environment where academic discourse can thrive.
“I want everyone to have a voice and be able to express themselves,” he said. “I could be critical and think critically of course, but at the same time, we have to realize there’s no room for exclusion in the context of a club.”
Once hired, the VP Equity and Inclusion will advise the Departmental Advisor on Policy and Procedures in the creation of policy and work with the VP Policy to ensure that the rhetoric in the political science department remains inclusive.
They will also be tasked with moderating meeting discussions, recording minutes at meetings and ensuring that guests feel welcome at faculty events. Although this task is not solidified into the position, they may also hold office hours in the Nest for students with an interest in politics or who just want to have a discussion.
These office hours will be open to everyone, not just political science students.
Since the PSSA is a non-partisan club, political views will not play a role in who will get the position. Rather, out of approximately 27 applicants, the position will be awarded based on the applicant’s experience and what they plan to bring to the role.
At the moment, Barreto-Gomez expects to send out the hiring decision next week.
“I’m just looking for qualified individuals who are passionate about it,” he said.
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