Presidential Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity & AccessibilityEquity Subcommittee

November 20, 2014

11:00 am

Minutes

Present: Justin Fisher (Student Affairs, Oshawa), Danielle Hoogkamer (Human Resources), Julia Anderson (Human Rights), Jocelyn Williams (TUFA), Kathryn Norlock (TUFA), Carley Brook (Human Resources), Lindy Garneau (Colleges), Stephen Horner (CUPE), Boykin Smith (TCSA), Marilyn Burns (Marketing and Communications), Mike Allcott (TIP), Anne Parker (IT), Andy Cragg (Human Rights)

Regrets: Rosemary Dunford (OPSEU), Kate Dougherty (OPSEU), Kelly Patano (TOSA), Ashley Neale (GSA), Adam Hopkins (FPHL), Steve Jones (Strategic Enrollment), Janet Miron(Faculty)

Open Session

The committee met to discuss the upcoming Equity and Diversity Census, specifically the following:

1.Work Plan for Equity and Diversity Census

a)Andy Cragg presented an overall work plan for the census project, and the committee agreed with its content

2.Review Questions for Employee Survey

The committee discussed and provided substantial feedback on the proposed questions for the employee survey part of the equity and diversity census.

a)Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation:

  • The committee decided to ask two questions, one on sexual orientation and one on gender identity.
  • The committee decided to not ask a question specifically on women as an equity-seeking group, as is done in the current Trent University survey and as is done in both the Toronto District School Board and Queen’s University surveys. The gender identity question will facilitate people to identify as women; also, should the need arise for statistics that are based on a male-female gender binary the University has the ability to generate these numbers (e.g. employees must identify as male/female as part of signing up for benefits).
  • The committee workshopped the specific wording of the two questions.
  • Kathryn Norlock volunteered to follow up with her local contacts working in this area and will consult relevant literature.

b)Indigenous people:

  • The committee discussed this briefly and expressed a desire to go beyond just the categories described in the Indian Act.
  • Julia Anderson indicated that Adam Hopkins has experience and recommendations here and the committee agreed that Andy Cragg will follow up with Adam before proceeding further with the wording of this question.

c)Skin Colour:

  • Beyond asking people to identify as a person of colour, the committee expressed a desire to drill down slightly.
  • There was general agreement that the categories used in the TDSB survey were a good starting point for collecting information on racial and cultural identity.
  • Andy Cragg is going to follow up with Mike Allcott to further develop specific wording for this section.

d)Ability:

  • The committee agreed to ask people to identify as a ‘person with a disability’
  • There was a desire to drill down slightly. Andy Cragg and Julia Anderson suggested two general categories of physical and mental, and various members of the committee suggested also including ‘learning’.
  • Julia Anderson is going to follow up with Stewart Engelberg, director of the Student Wellness Centre and get his input on appropriate wording and categories.

3.Employment Questions

The committee also discussed other employment-related questions that will be used as comparators. Due to time constraints, we did not get into great detail here.

  • In general, the committee agreed that different questions will be needed for the different employee groups (e.g. asking a TUFA member where they fall on the Full Professor – LTA spectrum, vs. asking an OPSEU employee what band they’re in).
  • Andy Cragg will follow up with union representatives and Human Resources to develop questions specific to different employee groups.

4.Next meeting

Tuesday December 9 at 11am.