Université de Sherbrooke
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

One of the goals of the Université de Sherbrooke's 2018-2022 Strategic Plan is to "make the Université de Sherbrooke an exemplary environment in terms of equity, diversity and inclusion" for both students and employees. In this context, a Comité stratégique Équité-Diversité-Inclusion [EN: Equity-Diversity-Inclusion (EDI) Strategic Committee] has been created to organize and lead actions to make the University more diverse, inclusive, and equitable for individuals from minority groups (e.g., women, First Peoples, visible minorities, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, people from sexual and gender diversity).

Composed of the President, the Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies, the Vice-President, Academic and International Relations, three representatives of the dean's offices, representatives of the general directions from the Human Resources Services and Communications Services, the Assistant Vice-President, and the Equity Research Officer, the committee meets two or three times a year to discuss EDI issues and to monitor initiatives and programs to be put in place to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion at the University.

The Strategic Committee is supported in the achievement of its objectives by an EDI Working Committee that coordinates concerted actions and institutional committees organized around the major EDI issues at the University. These institutional committees are:

• Comité d’abolition des barrières à la mobilité [EN: Committee for the Abolition of Barriers to Mobility]
• Comité des Chaires de recherche du Canada (CRC) EDI [EN: Canada Research Chairs (CRC) EDI Committee]
• Comité pour l’inclusion de la diversité sexuelle et de genre [EN: Committee for the Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Diversity]
• Comité sur les compétences interculturelles et linguistiques [EN: Committee on Intercultural and Language Competence]
• Comité institutionnel pour les Premiers Peuples [EN: Institutional Committee for First Peoples]

In addition, the General Secretariat of the Université de Sherbrooke has the mandate to address the issue of gender parity in the composition of university bodies.

https://www.usherbrooke.ca/actualites/nouvelles/details/40920
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/decouvrir/fileadmin/sites/decouvrir/images/edi/Structure_liee_a_la_demarche_Equite.pdf

Within this context and in addition to the priorities identified by the EDI Strategic Committee (see below), the EDI Working Committee developed and presented an institutional action plan to address issues such as students and employees attraction and recruitment from designated groups (e.g., targeting posts by designated groups, facilitating the recognition of prior education and diplomas, granting admission scholarships) as well as welcoming and integrating (e.g., improving accommodation measures, reducing physical barriers to mobility, etc.), etc.

Adopted by the EDI Strategic Committee in spring 2020, the plan is monitored annually and adjusted as needed. Moreover, a status report in the form of a statistical profile is also prepared annually for the whole university community (staff and students), in order to see the evolution of diversity and equity and the impact of inclusion measures.

This EDI structure also favours the involvement and initiatives of the faculties and services of the Université de Sherbrooke. Several of these environments have set up EDI sectoral committees, in addition to being able to count on human resources dedicated to EDI issues. Some examples of sectoral committees and other structures:

In the faculties:
• Faculty of Science (Faculty Committee for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Science, the Office of the Vice-Dean of EDI, Group of Voice against Racism in Science)
• Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (Parity-Diversity-Inclusion Table)
• Business School (Working Committee for the Promotion of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion)
• Faculty of Law (EDI Faculty Committee)
• Faculty of Education (EDI Advisory Committee)
• Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (group mobilized around EDI - policy and guidelines, as well as the Faculty's Social Responsibility Office which has an EDI theme and a "First Peoples Health" theme)

In the services:
• Coop Work Term and Professional Development Services (EDI committee)
• Alumni Relations Services, including the University Foundation (EDI committee)
• Sport and Physical Activity Services (EDI committee and EDI-athlete student committee)
 
RESOURCES DEPLOYED FOR THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THESE STRUCTURES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIONS

• An Institutional Officer, EDI Research and Development, position that, under the supervision of the Assistant Vice-President and the Director General, Human Resources Services, acts as a resource person on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues at the University.
• An Equity Officer in the Research, Innovation and Creation Support Services, a position which provides support for EDI in research.
• An Equity Officer position in the Human Resources Services.
• A First Peoples Affairs Coordinator position, attached to the Faculty of Law, but with an institutional mandate in this area.
• A First Peoples Pedagogical Advisor position, attached to the Faculty of Education, but with an institutional mandate in this area.
• A professional in the Communications Services who coordinates institutional communications projects related to EDI.
• A Pedagogical Advisor position to address inclusion and EDI issues in pedagogy.
• A Pedagogical Advisor, program development, a position whose mandate is to bring the EDI dimension into developing programs.
• A Research and Development Officer position, attached to USherbrooke International, working on the development of intercultural skills training.
• A coordination position on the Faculty Committee for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Science.
• A Vice-Dean of EDI in the Faculty of Science.
• A Vice-Dean of EDI in the Faculty of Engineering.

In addition, there are EDI policy initiatives for two faculties, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMSS).
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/sciences/fileadmin/sites/sciences/documents/Faculte/EDI/Politique_EDI_sciences.pdf
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/medecine/fileadmin/sites/medecine/documents_officiels/secteurs/fmss/2652_002_polit_edi_fmss.pdf

The Université de Sherbrooke is implementing several training and awareness-raising activities on intercultural competencies, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and inclusion.

ANNUAL MANDATORY TRAINING TO FIGHT SEXUAL VIOLENCE (FOR ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS)

Mandatory anti-sexual violence training for the entire university community (students, academic and non-academic staff) was to be completed online before the start of the autumn 2021 academic year for the second year running.

https://www.usherbrooke.ca/actualites/nouvelles/societe/details/42525
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/respect/violences-a-caractere-sexuel/formations
Awareness-raising clips available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywD9P9GCQJ8 and
https://youtu.be/RtsadebNLFY

CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT DISCRIMINATION (FOR ALL STAFF AND STUDENTS)

A campaign to fight discrimination was carried out in January 2021, in autumn 2021, and is relaunched twice a year, in March and November. The aim is to raise awareness of the community, via the Université de Sherbrooke's social networks, about the types of discrimination that are possible, while referring to the tools developed for the occasion: https://www.usherbrooke.ca/decouvrir/fileadmin/sites/decouvrir/documents/Affiche_vf.pdf and
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/decouvrir/fileadmin/sites/decouvrir/documents/Feuillet_vf.pdf

AWARENESS-RAISING AND TRAINING FOR STAFF IN ALL FACULTIES AND DEPARTMENTS ON EDI

An initial awareness-raising and information campaign was to tour faculties and departments between autumn 2019 and autumn 2020. These meetings made it possible to discuss EDI issues with nearly 250 people. This initiative has led to the development of 29 sector action plans and is generating ongoing EDI awareness activities with members of the university community. Staff were invited to browse through the introductory training capsules on EDI principles developed by the Chaire pour les femmes en sciences et en génie [EN: Chair for Women in Science and Engineering] in collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke, available online.
http://cfsg.espaceweb.usherbrooke.ca/formation-en-equite-diversite-et-inclusion/

TRAINING RELATED TO INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE

Training related to cultural competence is also offered to Université de Sherbrooke’s employees. For instance, the Centre universitaire de formation continue (CUFC) [EN: University Centre for Continuing Education] offers, in its latest programming, various workshops on women's leadership, management of cultural diversity in the workplace, and psychological health and misconduct at work, just to name these.

Training on intercultural skills was also developed in 2020. The first phase of this training is for the staff. The objective is to deploy intercultural allies at the Université de Sherbrooke in the form of a network in all faculties and services. The initial training consists of four three-hour workshops interspersed with three inter-workshops of 1.15 hours each, spread over several weeks. Between spring 2021 and May 2022, about a hundred people were trained in intercultural skills. It should be noted that the members of this network will continue to be trained on various aspects of interculturality. A training workshop for intercultural allies on anti-racism and diversity was held in February 2022. Co-development groups have also been organized, and consolidation activities are underway. The second phase of the training will target the student community, in order to equip students to operate in a community that respects diversity. A shorter training course is also being developed to train managers in intercultural skills.

In May 2022, a first Living Library was held with about twenty allies of interculturality. Seven living books were 'borrowed' in order to have access to the stories and experiences of these people of diversity.
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/actualites/nouvelles/details/47937

TRAINING RELATED TO EDI FOR FACULTY MEMBERS

Training related to EDI for faculty members is offered. For example, compulsory training on equity, diversity, and inclusion is now required for those who are candidates for the Canada Research Chairs Program. In this context, the Université de Sherbrooke offers three distinct training:

1. Training module on unconscious biases. This workshop seeks to highlight the unconscious biases that are conveyed through attitudes, stereotypes, motivations, or implicit assumptions.

2. Introduction to equity, diversity, and inclusion in higher education and research: what and why? This basic training summarizes the key concepts of equity, equality, diversity, inclusion, designated groups, and intersectionality. It also highlights the importance of diversity in a university environment as well as existing challenges on the matter. These introductory training capsules on the principles of EDI, developed by the Chair for Women in Science and Engineering in collaboration with the Université de Sherbrooke, are available online. They have been consulted more than 1,700 times on the Chair's website, in addition to the training courses taken via the Moodle platform.
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/saric/politiques-reglements/edi/formations-edi
http://cfsg.espaceweb.usherbrooke.ca/formation-en-equite-diversite-et-inclusion/

3. Workshop on EDI requirements for grant applications. The Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, in collaboration with the Research, Innovation and Creation Support Services, developed and delivered a workshop on EDI requirements for grant applications. Some 200 faculty members/researchers registered for the workshop between fall 2019 and summer 2020. Further training will be offered according to the needs of the research teams.

The EDI in Research training offer is available at the following addresses:
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/saric/politiques-reglements/edi/formations-edi
https://cfsg.espaceweb.usherbrooke.ca/edi-in-higher-education-and-research/

THE TRAINING "EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (EDI): ACTIONS FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION"

Training in inclusive pedagogy is also dedicated to teaching staff, provided by the Education Support Services at the Université de Sherbrooke. Since 2019, more than 200 teachers have been trained. Awareness-raising is also carried out prior to the creation of training courses, when discussion groups are held to clearly identify the issues and needs of each learning environment. These discussion activities make it possible to offer training adapted to the needs of teaching staff. The "Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): Actions for a more inclusive education" is a two-hour training designed to meet these needs. It is given by two trainers, in the form of a participatory workshop for 15 to 20 teachers or in a supervisory or advisory capacity with students.
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/ssf/enseignement/programmation/activites-de-formation/activite/equite-diversite-inclusion-edi/1475/

SEXUAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY TRAINING AND ACTIVITIES

Training on sexual and gender diversity was also held for managers and all staff of certain key services at the University, including the Communications Services, the Office of the Registrar, the Student Life Services, and the Human Resources Services. So far, 666 people have been trained since 2018.

The following groups are also very active in organizing awareness-raising activities related to these issues:

• The Groupe d’action trans de l’Université de Sherbrooke (GATUS) [EN: Université de Sherbrooke Transgender Action Group] is an association, composed of students, that was created in 2016 and is recognized by the university Student Life Services. Its mission is to defend the rights of trans, non-binary, and nonconforming gender persons. The GATUS offers several services to students such as providing financial aid, offering to take part in discussion groups, and distributing gender affirmation articles. Moreover, it informs the university community and raises awareness on issues regarding trans, non-binary, and nonconforming gender persons.
https://gatus.association.usherbrooke.ca/

• The Association étudiante LGBTQ+UdeS [EN: The LGBTQ+UdeS Student Association] (formerly AGLEBUS) is a group that, through social activities such as dinner discussions and sports activities, connects people from the LGBTQ+ community in Sherbrooke.
https://aglebus.association.usherbrooke.ca/

• Each year, on May 17th, the Université de Sherbrooke proudly raises the rainbow flag (the LGBTQ pride flag) in the heart of its main campus to highlight the fight against homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia. Several raising-awareness activities against intolerance and stigmatization are organized during this day. In making this symbolic gesture, the University reiterates explicitly its solidarity with people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/actualites/nouvelles/details/37492

Six training and workshops were held as part of the annual sexual and gender diversity week "Rainbow Week" in 2021 and 2022.

EDI TRAINING FOR VERT ET OR SPORTS TEAMS COACHING STAFF

Basic EDI training has been offered to the Vert et Or sports teams coaching staff in 2021. To date, 51 individuals have been trained, and a session for a group of 14 individuals is being planned for 2022. It will result in all the coaching staff and assistant coaches being trained. A coaching tool has also been developed to support the coaching staff.

OTHER FACULTY INITIATIVES

Some faculty initiatives, which are sometimes offered outside the faculty framework, also take place.

Recently, a course on objectivity and integrity from Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion perspective (EFD925) was developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Science. It is offered at the Centre compétence en recherche plus (CR+) [EN: Research Competence Centre plus (RC+)] for graduate students.

A simulation workshop developed by a professor at the School of Nursing has been held annually for more than three years now with undergraduate students. Approximately 350 students per year participate in this simulation with standardized patients. This simulation aims to teach how to intervene with a nursing colleague who makes disparaging remarks about a colleague from a visible minority.

A new course entitled “Perspectives autochtones en éducation” [EN: First Peoples Perspectives in Education] raises awareness among students in the Faculty of Education to First Peoples realities in the school environment. This course, co-developed with First Peoples partners, uses an innovative approach, as students follow a unique guided reflective pathway that leads them to position themselves, equip themselves and engage in front of First Peoples realities in the school environment.
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/actualites/nouvelles/societe/societe-details/article/46072/
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/admission/fiches-cours/PAE403/perspectives-autochtones-en-education/

Several programs focus on intensive training in cross-curricular competency for students newly enrolled in a Université de Sherbrooke’s program. These courses, although not compulsory, take place just before the start of the fall semester of 20 programs, representing approximately 500 students per cohort. These courses cover such topics as EDI issues, collaboration, and teamwork.

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences of the Université de Sherbrooke offers, using an interdisciplinary approach (involving cross-cultural Social Work, Management, Law, and Education), a master’s degree in Cross-Cultural Mediation. Being the only one of its kind in Canada, this program is intended for students who have just graduated wishing to acquire graduate training as soon as they complete their bachelor's studies or to provide professionals with training adapted to today's reality, preparing them to carry out concrete mediation actions considering the diversity of the people involved. The courses offered focus mainly on issues related to culture and population movements, and include international exchanges, national law, international law, cross-cultural intervention, and relationships between individuals and groups. Each learning activity is designed to give the student the opportunity to conduct an analysis of cross-cultural situations and to take a critical look at his or her practice.
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/admission/programme/671/maitrise-en-mediation-interculturelle/
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/mediation-interculturelle/

A First Peoples Studies undergraduate microprogram is also offered since 2022. Its objective is to introduce students to nations, languages, and cultures of First Peoples, to familiarize them with the historical and contemporary realities of First Peoples in Quebec and Canada, and with the arts and cultural expressions of First Peoples.
https://www.usherbrooke.ca/admission/programme/48Q/microprogramme-de-1er-cycle-en-etudes-autochtones/

The Comité pour l’inclusion de la diversité sexuelle et de genre [EN: Committee for the Inclusion of Sexual and Gender Diversity] was honoured to receive the 2022 Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award from ARUCC (Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada). This award recognizes excellence in diversity and inclusion and honours ARUCC members or teams that have demonstrated leadership, perseverance and innovation in visioning and implementing strategies, processes and best practices to better support underrepresented students.

https://www.arucc.ca/en/about/arucc-awards/excellence-in-diversity-inclusion-award