b'SUPPORTPatel. We have been talking with the Schulich administration, and they are pushing us to make it even grander. There is a lot of support.Patel and Grace Jurisic, Spectrums VP of advocacy and charity, were partly inspired by the National Pride in Business Conference at the University of Calgary. It is also organized by a student group, the Business Pride Club at the Haskayne School of Business. Its not always that Halls ofschools dont want to take that initiative, says Jurisic. It wasnt so much because they didnt want to do it, but because there werent students coming forward.Learning Patel further points out that university and college administrations can only do so much, because community events need to be designed from the bottom up rather than the top down. Its a 50:50 responsibility for the student community and the administration, but its very hard Cooperation between students andfor students to step up because youre at administration is key to making that stage of your life when youre very vulnerable, says Patel.campuses queer-friendly For Spectrum, the outcome is to build a community so nobody feels they cant By Sarah B. Hood side with the LGBT+ community, says Jurisic. Weve been through it, we know N ow that diversity, equity andwas founded in 2021 after student leaderthe struggle, and we dont want it to be as inclusion have become hotJemin Patel noticed that the school washard for others as it was for us.topics, institutions of all kindsnot planning any Pride activities. ThroughSpectrum is just one example of an are scrambling to put policies andthe Schulich Pride Alliance, a studentevent or organization at a Canadian programs in place to support LGBTQ+support organization for 2SLGBTQIA+university that aims to help LGBTQ+ communities. Some universities andstudents, a successful week-long series ofstudents integrate into the college colleges, especially in big cities, are aheadevents was inaugurated. environment, connect with peers and of the game; others are a little late. In bothFor this years Spectrum, Patel hopesfeel comfortable pursuing their higher cases, good results tend to come whento attract business schools from acrosseducation as openly gay students. administrators work closely with theCanada. Ideally, it will be held in personAll over the country, universities are student body and support and timed to attract visitors to Torontoactively embracing a more assertive student initiatives. Pride. We dont want it to become justapproach to inclusivity to ensure their Consider Spectrum, a queer-focusedanother Pride business conference whereLGBTQ+ demographic is acknowledged conference and networking event forwords like inclusion become buzzwordsand supported within the university students at the Schulich School ofthat are thrown around; we want to getspace. They are doing this through Business at York University in Toronto. Itinto uncomfortable conversations, saystargeted support and resource centres, 26| QBiz CANADA | Issue 1 2022'