Guidance for leaders following removal of encampment

As leaders on campus, your staff may have questions related to the removal of an encampment from University of Calgary grounds on Thursday. This situation may lead to questions about freedom of expression, concerns about safety on campus, and mental health and wellness.

The following update includes information to help you as managers support your team. 

Safety on campus

The people you manage may ask you whether it is safe to be on campus. At present, we do not have any concerns around safety on campus. Protests that have occurred on campus following the removal of the encampment have been peaceful.

If a safety concern emerges, communications channels like the USafety app will be used to notify the community. Please encourage your team to check they have successfully downloaded the new USafety app. 

While campus is safe, if a person you manage is worried about their safety in a specific moment, they should contact campus security. They can also request a Safewalk to be escorted from one location on campus to another.

Mental health and wellness

As managers, you play a vital role in supporting your team. 

Listen to any concerns your staff express. Seek to understand what they are feeling and, if you feel they are open to it, share some of the mental health supports we have available. 

We want to make sure that anyone who needs help can get it.

Resources available include:

• Guidance on how to identify if someone is in distress, and what to do to help them, can be found on the Campus Mental Health Strategy website. 
• Counselling services are available to all employees through the Employee Family Assistance Program. 

As managers, you also have the discretion to make temporary modifications to where and how your team operate to ensure that staff remain safe. 

Freedom of speech

Free speech, including uncomfortable speech, is an important part of campus life. Protests are allowed on campus, but encampments are not. 

As outlined in our Statement on Free Expression, the time, manner and place of protests may be regulated to maintain the functioning of the university. Encampments, barricades and overnight protests are not permitted because of the additional operational challenges and safety risks they pose. 

Next steps

We will continue to update you as managers as new information becomes available. 

The removal of the encampment on campus has deeply affected our campus community. Many of you and your staff are answering questions, supporting students and engaging with the community. It’s important work and we are so grateful for all that you are doing. 

Situations like these can take a toll on us personally as leaders. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out to your director, supervisor or HR partner if you need help. 

We are here to support you as you support UCalgary.

Mike Van Hee
Vice-President (Services)