EDMONTON—The University of Alberta is pulling a billboard that was criticized as promoting the benefits of climate change, and a school official has announced her immediate departure.
Jacqui Tam, vice president of university relations, made the announcement on Sunday via a statement on the school's website, saying her departure is in the institution's best interests.
"The messaging on the ad called the reputation of the University of Alberta and its extensive research on climate change into question.
"As Vice-President (University Relations), I apologize for this and take responsibility."
Tam had filled the role since July 2017.
The billboard, which read in part, "beefier barley," was noticed by Edmontonians earlier this week.
According to the school, the ad was part of its "Truth Matters" campaign and references 2017 research which concluded Alberta's beef industry would benefit from a rise in temperature and humidity.
The school had previously called the research complex and multifaceted while responding to public criticism.
On Sunday, Tam wrote again the school stood by its original statement.
"The research highlighted by the ad does not promote climate change as a benefit; nor was that the meaning intended by the ad," reads Tam's statement.
"However, public response has made clear that the advertisement’s wording fails to communicate the meaning and complexity of the research, allowing for easy misinterpretation. Because of this, the university is pulling the ad as soon as possible."
According to the university's president, the billboard was supposed to receive final approval from the school's executive team, but didn't.
"The ads are supposed to go to the executive, and the exec has final sign-off on major university advertisements. With this ad, for some reason, this did not happen," David Turpin explained at a press conference Sunday evening.
"I could understand why people interpreted (it) the way they did. It would not have been an ad that if I had see I would have put forward."
He added Tam is a "person of such incredible integrity and such deep and strongly held values, when she realized the implications of that decision, she stood up, took full responsibility."
Several U of A faculty members had spoken out against the ad as well, but the next day, reaction was mixed on campus.
"The word choice was not the best, but I think it was a bit of an overreaction. I think something that we could've done is probably just remove the ad," said one person.
Another added: "I think she noticed the error in her ways and obviously that it has a big enough impact on social media to garner her resigning over it. And I agree with her decision."
Turpin said the school would be reviewing the process by which advertisements are approved.
The university is in the process of pulling the ads, of which there were two in each Edmonton and Calgary.
With files from CTV Edmonton's Sarah Plowman
