Presidential Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity & AccessibilityEmployment Equity Subcommittee

Tuesday, 18 October, 2011, 9:38 a.m.

Gzowski College, Room 345

Minutes

Present were: Karen Darien (Chair), Joeann Argue, Robyne Shedden, Julie Smith, Chris Salo, Jeff Levine, Christine Freeman- Roth, Tara Harrington

Regrets: Rory Coughlin, Dana Capell, Eunice Lund-Lucas, Alice Pelkman, Tom Philips, Lon Knox

Open session

1.Welcome and Introductions

The sub-committee was informed that as of last year the Office of Human Rights was amalgamated with the offices of Equity and Accessibility, leading to the current composition of the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility. The Sub-committee was also informed that the Minutes for the sub-committee will be posted onto the S Drive, accessible to members of the sub-committee.

2.PACHREA Website and EE Website

The Sub-committee was informed on the process by which the Offices of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility were synthesized, and after considerable time was spent on attempting to make the new website accessible it was decided it would be more efficient to create a new website from scratch. The new website had to be created on an outside server. In order to comply with government requirements, we were given a list of 110 items which had to be completed. Robyne gave a demonstration to the sub-committee displaying an array of these features.

3.EE Task List

As per the task list we were given as mentioned above, 80% of Trent employees must complete the EE survey. Due to the confidential nature of the survey it is being overseen by the HR department. For the most part staff are asked to fill out the survey when they fill out their payroll information as well as when their employment with Trent University comes to an end. We do not know when the government will audit us next, however we do know that it will be sometime in the coming year after February.

4.EE Priorities

The point was raised that the belief among staff was that Trent University had a diverse work force as we do a diverse student body, and that we must get past the idea that those persons mentioned in the EE outlines are not applying for jobs.

Robyne asks to move forward with permission of the sub-committee in order to create a dynamic training program about being inclusive in their hiring as a whole rather than doing targeted training sessions. This information would be given to every hiring committee to review prior to the hiring process beginning.

5.AOB

For the next meeting, members are asked to read up on the documents available on the S Drive as well as the OHREA website, under the EE section.

The sub-committee will be at a later date open to discussion about the Terms of Reference for the sub-committee, and the draft TOR will be emailed out prior to the next meeting.

6.Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 11:06 a.m.

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