The full-time human rights advisor role will provide fair and impartial support to students, faculty and staff who may have concerns related to discrimination at UBC Okanagan.

Aligned with UBC’s commitments to provide a discrimination-free environment and maintain and respect human rights at all levels of the university, Kara Ellison has been appointed to the role of human rights advisor.

The new role is situated within the UBC Okanagan Equity & Inclusion Office (EIO) and is part of a broader Human Rights Advising team comprising a director of human rights and additional advisors at UBC Vancouver. To learn more about Kara, read Get to know UBC’s new human rights advisor.

Mandated through UBC’s Policy SC7: Discrimination, the EIO, through the Human Rights Advising team, is responsible for providing information, advice and assistance in a fair and impartial manner to those: who submit a discrimination concern and wish to refer a complaint to UBC’s Investigations Office; who are responding to a complaint against them; and who generally may have a concern about discrimination at UBC. For more information on the complaint process, view the discrimination complaint process overview.

At UBC, discrimination is defined as intentional or unintentional conduct, which can be individual or systemic, that imposes burdens, obligations, or disadvantages on or limits access to opportunities, benefits and advantages to specific individuals or groups as defined by the BC Human Rights Code (external link) and for which there is no real and reasonable justification.

UBC community members who have questions or concerns related to discrimination can stop by during drop-in advising hour or submit an online request for a consultation.

The EIO provides education on prevention and remediation of discrimination, issues guidance on the implementation and interpretation of the discrimination policy and processes, and publicly reports on the number of consultations received and formal complaints. The EIO also works with Administrative Heads of Units (AHUs) to address or resolve concerns of discrimination in an informal manner. AHUs can review Recommendations for administrators receiving human rights disclosures and complaints.

UBC’s discrimination policy informs university and community members’ responsibilities to prevent discrimination on grounds protected by the BC Human Rights Code (external link) and provides procedures for handling complaints, remedying situations and imposing discipline when such discrimination does occur. The Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework and Roadmap for Change guide the university’s overall efforts to advance equity and anti-racism efforts at UBC.

• Get support with human rights

  Learn more about UBC’s human rights advising support and the discrimination complaint process. If you have discrimination-related questions or concerns at UBC Okanagan, connect with Kara Ellison.

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