Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 58.84
Liaison Paulina Szlachta
Submission Date May 6, 2024

STARS v2.2

St. Lawrence College
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Jadon Hook
Sustainability Officer
Facilities Management Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Has the institution engaged in a structured assessment process during the previous three years to improve diversity, equity and inclusion on campus?:
Yes

A brief description of the assessment process and the framework, scorecard(s) and/or tool(s) used:

Through a consultative and collaborative process, members of the EDI Taskforce utilize an intersectional equity lens to establish and implement a College framework and recommendations for equity, diversity, and inclusion to address the needs of the tri-campus SLC community, internal and external.

Recommendations Report: 
Through St. Lawrence College’s Strategic Plan SLC-in-Five + Three, the college is committed to making Belonging a fundamental value of the College’s culture and the student/staff experience. In the fall of 2020, the Executive Team seconded Professor Ekta Singh to the role of Senior Advisor, EDI and Belonging and it created a task force with a mandate to propose a framework and recommendations that would serve as a foundation and engine for operationalizing this value. Chris Garnett, VP of Human Resources and Organizational Development was appointed Executive Sponsor for this initiative. This report provides a detailed account of the work accomplished by the Task Force in 2020-2021.


Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion:


SLC promotes Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, our SLC opportunities page can be found here: https://www.stlawrencecollege.ca/about/careers-at-slc/current-job-opportunities.  See the preamble with our public statement of commitment to EDI.  As well, as part of the application form, voluntary employment equity questions are asked so that we can assess if we are attracting underrepresented groups.  In addition to having created a position of Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, right at the moment we advertised for and are recruiting a Belonging Specialist.


Further, SLC implemented an initiative asking an 8-month EDI task force to make implementation recommendations. This task force made up of a cross representation of employees, and this report and recommendations are public on the following website: https://www.stlawrencecollege.ca/about/belonging-equity-diversity-and-inclusion-at-slc/equity-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-task-force. The college is currently timplementing these recommendations and is committed to integrating EDI in all of its departments and initiatives. 


To understand the demographic composition of our workforce and student body and to assess progress towards a more diverse institution, the SLC Belonging and EDI Task force developed a comprehensive demographic census. The purpose of this Census was to:



  • Achieve an accurate profile of SLC and how representative we are of the Canadian
    workforce;

  • Develop a deeper understanding of the College’s designated Equity groups
    Invite the SLC community to share their experiences related to the value of belonging

  • Develop employment equity programs and measure our progress toward creating both
    an equitable workplace and a diverse workforce;

  • Identify changes in policies, practices, and systems that will have the greatest benefits
    in fairness, equity, recruitment, classroom climate, workplace climate, and more;


Does the assessment process address campus climate by engaging stakeholders to assess the attitudes, perceptions and behaviors of employees and students, including the experiences of underrepresented groups?:
Yes

Does the assessment process address student outcomes related to diversity, equity and success?:
Yes

Does the assessment process address employee outcomes related to diversity and equity?:
Yes

A brief description of the most recent assessment findings and how the results are used in shaping policy, programs, and initiatives:

Recommendations Overview:


The report concludes with seven strategic recommendations that, in the opinion of the Task Force, are essential pillars for a bold and sustained commitment to EDI at SLC.


1. Nurture a Deep Diverse Talent Pool: 
Develop and implement a comprehensive recruitment and retention plan to support the ongoing success of a diverse SLC workforce at all levels, with emphasis on underrepresented groups.


2. Attract and Retain an Enriching and Diverse Student Body: 
Develop and implement a comprehensive recruitment and retention plan to support the success of a diverse student body with emphasis on creating safe and inclusive spaces for underrepresented student groups.


3. Build and Sustain EDI Vision, Leadership, and Communication Capacity:
Encourage EDI within the College’s Board of Governors, College Executive Team (CET), and College Leadership Team (CLT). The College’s leadership, communications, and statements about itself should reflect a high-level, consistent, and reliably strong commitment to EDI and Belonging.


4. Foster EDI Excellence and Innovation in Teaching, Learning, and Research:
Recognize and embed EDI in teaching, learning, research, and services at SLC. Faculty are encouraged to work thoughtfully and rigorously to incorporate or contribute to EDI and are subsequently recognized for their efforts EDI when is explicitly infused in the College’s Academic Plan and other relevant academic policies.


5. Sustain an Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Campus Culture and Climate:
Create an equitable and inclusive environment in SLC’s physical, virtual, cultural, and community spaces for all members of its community.


6. Honour Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being:
Honour and elevate Indigenous knowledge, perspectives, and connection to the land in intentional and visible ways in our teaching, our research principles, and all other facets of the SLC College life.


 


Are the results of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment shared with the campus community?:
Yes

A brief description of how the assessment results are shared with the campus community:

Results were shared through the weekly college newsletter, alumni magazine, and hosted on the corporate website.


Are the results (or a summary of the results) of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment publicly posted?:
Yes

The diversity and equity assessment report or summary (upload):
Website URL where the diversity and equity assessment report or summary is publicly posted:
Website URL where information about the institution’s diversity and equity assessment efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.