USask president rebuts anti-EDI opinion piece

The University of Saskatchewan President Peter Stoicheff has responded to an opinion article written by former USask President Peter MacKinnon. In the piece, MacKinnon described an anti-racism and unconscious bias session at USask as “part of an ideological crusade” that discouraged dissent and disparaged merit. In his response, Stoicheff described the accusations as “serious and misguided enough to warrant an informed response.” He explained that universities must maintain a balance between EDI and the principles of academic freedom and excellence, but Canadian universities are navigating this balance successfully. To this end, Stoicheff points to several markers of USask’s success since introducing its EDI policy, such as its rise in international rankings. He concludes by thanking “those who take on the daunting task of leading this complex and difficult work.”