Analysis: University of Calgary’s May 9 encampment decision-making was ‘comprehensive’, consulting firm reports
By Nazeefa Ahmed and Vama Saini, December 21 2024—
On Nov. 4, private consulting firm MNP released their Crisis Management Team (CMT) Review of the University of Calgary’s response to the May 9 student encampment. With the aim of assessing the actions and decision-making of the CMT, the firm concluded that the response was “comprehensive” in addition to being, “measured, deliberate and informed.”
“Overall, this review found that CMT actions and the response process were comprehensive, leveraged existing crisis management structures and aligned with crisis management leading practices,” reads a statement from the report.
The U of C administration chose MNP to conduct a third party review on May 30, a decision that was criticized by the Students’ Union (SU) during multiple Student Legislative Council (SLC) meetings due to the MNP’s lack of distance from the university and the review’s limited scope. Aiming for greater accountability from the institution, the SU forwarded a motion for an independent review of the incident, which was approved during the July 10 General Faculties Council (GFC).
On Dec. 13, U of C Governors’ Chair Mark Herman, stated that the MNP review marks the conclusion of document collection for May 9.
“As a Board we are satisfied there are no more material facts that we need to gather, and we are satisfied that management exercised sound judgment in a difficult, no-win situation,” read the statement.
Methodology and scope of the review
Aiming to understand the activities and decision-making process of the CMT, MNP conducted 20 interviews with U of C leadership, CMT members and student leaders from the SU and the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA). The reviewers also consulted University policy, decision logs and viewed CCTV camera footage from the events.
April 29 – May 8
The CMT provides policy direction for the U of C during a crisis and, according to the report, was preparing for the possibility of an encampment before May 9. On April 29, approximately 10 days before the encampment, the university’s executive leadership team approved the CMT’s recommendation to not allow encampments on university property. The CMT also “clarified existing policies” which involved revising the 2024-UC-003-A policy on May 3.
The CMT also trained campus security and coordinated plans with CPS to manage enforcement, identifying the planning stage as a “key strength” and an indicator of an informed decision.
May 9
On May 9, the protest began at 6:34 a.m., with students establishing tents on the north side of the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) and presenting a list of demands. The group was informed by the CPS and the University of Calgary to dismantle the structures throughout the day, on the grounds of unlawful trespassing.
Some primary members of the CMT team for May 9 were not present and the alternates had not attended regular CMT training and had limited experience for the encampment’s “fast, onset crisis”, according to the report.
Throughout the day, the encampment grew, and regular CMT meetings were held to guide the university’s response. The CMT worked closely with CPS, which ultimately dispersed the encampment around 11 p.m., resulting in five arrests. Despite the predetermined plan, the report noted uncertainties, particularly regarding the protestors’ intentions and the specifics of CPS’ tactical plan.
While the CMT executed its response plan, the review found deficiencies in stakeholder communication. Student leaders from the SU and the GSA were not consistently updated and external groups using campus facilities were not engaged in a timely manner. The report stated, “the CMT did not update all stakeholders on the same cadence,” leaving some parties uninformed during critical moments.
May 9 – June 7
In the aftermath of the encampment, the CMT and other university leaders prioritized engaging with stakeholders in what the review described as efforts focused on “healing and moving forward” rather than “damage control.”
Between May 10 and June 7, senior leaders, including members of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), held meetings with various stakeholder groups. These meetings aimed to enhance situational awareness and gather insights to inform future decisions and actions.
Despite these efforts, the review found the CMT’s post-encampment approach to stakeholder engagement “reactive” compared to the “deliberate” planning demonstrated before May 9.
Several gaps were identified.
SU and GSA leaders received only brief updates immediately following the encampment. More substantial engagement occurred days later, beginning on May 11.
External groups impacted by the encampment, including those hosting events on May 9 and 10, were not contacted for weeks. This delay highlighted a lack of clarity in stakeholder engagement responsibilities, according to the report.
The absence of a centralized system to track campus stakeholders or events further hindered effective communication and outreach, according to MNP.
While the meetings with groups post-encampment signalled an intention to rebuild trust and improve stakeholder relationships, the report suggested that the CMT’s actions in this period lacked the proactive, structured engagement seen in its pre-encampment planning.
“Overall, in the days following May 9, the CMT approach to stakeholder engagement seemed reactive, especially when compared to their preencampment planning efforts, which had been very deliberate,” reads a statement from the report.
Events that occurred that MNP did not include in the review
Appendix A of the document contains a timeline of events by the hour — including the CPS’ engagement with the protests throughout the day — but misses when the Calgary Police used 15 pepper bombs and four OC grenades at 11:15 p.m. on May 9. However, the report did note that the CPS and the U of C did not receive any reports of injuries during the exchange, a claim confirmed by Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).
The review noted that the CMT had “consulted” with the CPS during the planning stage prior to the encampment. However, it also stated that the administration was “uncertain” of the specifics of CPS’ tactical plan when enforcement of trespass notices began. The specifics of the consultation between CMT and CPS is not included.
MNP’s recommendations for future crisis management
Initially, the SU and the GSA were not aware that a CMT existed and required clarification as to their role in the team, according to the report. On July 24, SU President Ermia Rezaei-Afsah believed that the SU should be on the CMT for future crises. More clarity was recommended by MNP.
“It is not recommended that student leaders be part of the University’s standing CMT; however, increasing their awareness of the emergency management system at UCalgary and clarifying their role should occur,” reads the report.
The full MNP report can be found on the University of Calgary website.