Editor's note: Ky Sargeant and the Sauder professor have since reconciled and are working together on EDI initiatives at Sauder. The professor's name has also been retroactively anonymized at the request of himself and Sargeant.
A Trans student criticized Sauder's approach to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) after a prof allegedly made upsetting comments toward them and initially rejected them from his course.
Ky Sargeant, a fifth-year Sauder student and Trans woman, said a professor allegedly called them "a trans" during their interview for a seat in his upper-year commerce class two weeks ago. In a written statement sent to The Ubyssey, the professor said he called Sargeant a “trans person” in the interview and "very much appreciated" when they corrected him by saying they are a Trans woman.
"I didn't think that in a course where the prime description of it is … like very, very, very much language around building an inclusive and diverse environment that I would have to face a microaggression,” Sargeant said.
According to the course description for the upper-year leadership and management course — hardworking and innovative students who bring something ‘different’ are encouraged to apply.
Sargeant also alleged the professor later said in an email exchange — which was obtained by The Ubyssey — that they would threaten the psychological safety of the class if accepted.
“Students are admitted to the course if their application and interview provide the teaching team confidence that they will contribute to the psychological safety in the cohort required for complex discussion void of confrontation or argument. Your application and interview did not provide this," the professor wrote in a reply to an email from Sargeant asking for more details about their rejection.
“To get that comment [on psychological safety] … was very, very upsetting,” Sargeant said.
The professor told The Ubyssey that he was referring to a theory by Harvard University Business School professor Dr. Amy Edmondson.
“I would never suggest that any applicant would be “psychologically unsafe” for the course—a comment that would be outright wrong and very misguided,” he wrote.
He added that he and the teaching team seek to promote EDI and psychological safety when reviewing applications.
After hearing from the professor — and sending three reply emails to him — Sargeant met with Sauder Senior Associate Dean, EDI Katherine White and Sauder Senior Associate Dean, Students JoAndrea Hoegg.
"[White and Hoegg were] fully supportive behind me, and are trying to fix this and trying to remedy this,” Sargeant said in an interview.
In a statement to The Ubyssey, Hoegg said Sargeant was admitted into the upper-year course following “ongoing and constructive dialogue with the instructor and student.”
“We look forward to welcoming this new cohort of students into the classroom where multiple perspectives and insights will contribute to a rich and diverse learning environment for everyone.”
In a message to The Ubyssey, Sargeant said they were disappointed that this incident happened at all in order for them to be admitted.
“Had I not had the connections, not worked as hard as I did through my degree,” they wrote, “there’s no guarantee that would’ve happened.” Sargeant has worked on and led several equity and inclusion initiatives at Sauder and the Commerce Undergraduate Society.
It's about the culture
Sargeant said Sauder can do more to promote EDI in its programs — like normalizing pronoun sharing or incorporating material on systemic racism and sexism in course curriculum — but that the current culture doesn't allow for these discussions.
"There's no culture of 'What are the social implications of our of our studies?" they said. "The culture of the school is ... here's how you apply for things, here's how you get into a job, here's how you make money."
They said that some people, like the senior deans and younger faculty, are open to change. “But just on a broader structural level, it’s a nightmare.”
Sargeant also pointed to the systems and structures that are in place that "don't give people the resources or the education to do better" as a cause for the lack of change.
Sargeant said they are currently working on a survey with Hoegg to assess the state of EDI teaching at Sauder that will be sent to faculty later this year. But, they said any recommendations from this survey will not be implemented for at least two more years.
"That's kind of what I'm talking about the system change ... to get anything really moving and to get anything to happen, it's like a four- or five-year timeline."
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