University of Guelph
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

All members of the University community are protected by the Human Rights Policies and Procedures, available at https://www.uoguelph.ca/diversity-human-rights/human-rights-policy-and-procedures

Statement of Commitment in the University's Human Rights Policy
The University of Guelph’s commitment to the maintenance of human dignity, of individuals and groups of individuals, is central to this Human Rights Policy (“Policy”). The University is committed to a campus free of discrimination and harassment and is dedicated to the highest standards of human equality and academic freedom. The University actively endorses these standards at every level of the institution and in all aspects of student, faculty and staff life while individuals or groups are acting in a capacity defined by their relationship with the University.

Violations of human rights will not be tolerated at the University. Discrimination and harassment based on grounds prohibited by the Code devalues and taints the environment of those covered by this Policy. They erode the values and the integrity of the University. The University values:

• Every student, employee, alumnus/a and volunteer;

• An environment, for those covered by this Policy, that is safe, positive, respectful and conducive to the pursuit of excellence;

• Equity, innovation, accountability and accessibility;

• The existence of a collegial governance structure;

• Upholding the principles of the equality rights provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom;

• Meeting its obligations under the provisions of the Code; • The uniqueness and diversity of our students, employees and community;

• A partnership of students, employees and community.

Human Rights Procedures
Associated with the Human Rights Policy, the University has a set of Human Rights Procedures that should be followed when a campus community member experiences an incidence of discrimination or harassment. The University has developed processes for dealing with human rights issues that are fair and equitable to all members of the community. Those who have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, act of discrimination or hate crime can contact DHR by phone email or in-person. They will work with an intake officer. A description of the intake process is available here : https://www.uoguelph.ca/diversity-human-rights/consult-us/intake-process. The Office of Diversity and Human Rights (DHR) has the responsibility, through the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of DHR to manage these processes and to provide support for all participants in any process, except in cases where an issue may impinge on the Office or its staff members. These Procedures are intended to be used in conjunction with the Human Rights Policy. DHR will be responsible for managing the process leading to the selection and training of human rights resource persons, facilitators, and factfinders. Human rights resource persons will be available to any person or group covered by the Policy. The full procedures can be found here: https://www.uoguelph.ca/diversity-human-rights/human-rights-policy-and-procedures

Anti-Hate and Bias Advisory Committee
The Anti-hate and Bias Committee is an advisory committee reporting to the Assistant Vice-President of the Office of Diversity and Human Rights. It supports the goal of ensuring that our educational, working, and living environment is free from hate and biased incidents. While the University strives to foster a culture of inclusion, it recognizes that some members of our community may experience incidents of hate or bias. The Committee will:

1. Review and provide advice on Protocols for responding to incidents of hate or bias activity. The Committee may also be called to provide advice for specific incidents.

2. Recommend education and awareness programs aimed to reduce hate and bias incidents on campus.

3. Help to develop communication strategies to support groups impacted by incidents.

4. Oversee the preparation of an Annual Report on incidents to be presented to the Student Rights and Responsibilities Committee and the University Inclusion Committee.

Recruitment of Students from Equity-Seeking Groups
The University of Guelph recently enhanced its commitment to student access and success through the allocation of an additional $1.5 million in direct student aid. Working with the U of G Student Budget Committee, the University’s total spending on scholarships and bursaries for undergraduate and graduate students increased by almost seven per cent in fiscal 2016. Examples of the initiatives that support access include:
• Lincoln Alexander Chancellor’s Scholarships: Enhance student diversity and are among our most prestigious entrance awards
• Aboriginal scholarships and opportunities: As part of our comprehensive generational strategy to increase First Nations, Métis, and Inuit scholarship on campus, we:
o Created two new annually awarded research awards for undergraduate Aboriginal students
o Established five new Aboriginal Graduate Scholarships for graduate students in any discipline
o Created a post-doctoral fellowship to support an Aboriginal researcher for up to two years
• Graduate Student Assistance: Support (needs- and merit-based) has increased by 28 per cent (in total dollars) since 2014-15. The Graduate Excellence Entrance Scholarship attracts the highest quality students. A recent $20 million gift created the Arrell Food Institute that provides $50,000 a year for six graduate students.

Academic Staff
Increasing the diversity of academic staff at the University of Guelph requires that hiring committees are provided with tools and resources for outreach and for transparent and equitable selection.

The collective agreement between the University of Guelph and the University of Guelph Faculty Association requires all Faculty Search Committee Members to complete an EDI orientation session at least once during the life of the current collective agreement. Beginning in 2019, training sessions were made available online. Committees can also request face-to-face orientation sessions from the Office of Diversity and Human Rights. These face-to-face orientations have been delivered since 2014. Equity and diversity training is required prior to accepting a nomination to a Search Committee. This training outlines legal requirements of employment equity, examines unconscious bias and its effect on each stage of the faculty recruitment process, examines biases that might have effect on particular equity-seeking groups (such as cultural bias that is most likely to affect racialized or Indigenous applicants), and speaks to strategies related to rubric evaluation, citation bias, promotional bias, and deliberative bias. The Collective Agreement stipulates DHR training as a means of encouraging connections between departments and DHR and facilitating institutional monitoring and capacity-building.

In orientation sessions, committees receive guidance on outreach activities. This guidance includes but is not limited to:
• Ways to diversify and recruit members for committees
• How to define position requirements such that language that discourages female, racialized, or Indigenous applicants is eliminated
• How to access technological tools to assess potentially gendered language in the position description
• Discuss how to advertise the position in a wide variety of ways
• Discuss how to engage in targeted outreach and connection to potential mentors at the institution

All faculty applicants are encouraged to submit a confidential self-identification survey, the Applicant Tracking Questionnaire (ATQ). Once completed, this information (anonymized and aggregated) is provided to the search committee to help them ensure that members of the designated groups are considered and provided with equal opportunity.

Gender-Based Salary Review

In 2017, all full-time female faculty members at the University of Guelph were provided with a raise. The university performed a robust statistical analysis taking into account a wide variety of factors including gender, age, experience, hiring date, and performance data. The results showed female faculty were being underpaid compared to their male colleagues and that the inequities were deeply systemic.

The university gave a $2,050 raise to each faculty member who identified as female or non-male. That represents more than 300 tenured, tenure-track and contract faculty. This recognizes that people who are doing the same job should be compensated equitably.

Hiring of Indigenous Faculty

Between 2016-2018, the University of Guelph hired six new Indigenous faculty members as part of a strategy that is changing the University’s perspective and culture by advancing reconciliation. The tenure-track positions span six of the University’s seven colleges.
Along with the new hires, the strategy also included additional supports for Indigenous students and researchers.

This initiative hopes to attract more Indigenous academics to U of G and make the University more accommodating to First Nations, Métis and Inuit scholars and learners.
The new faculty members have help bring an increased awareness of important issues, build valuable community partnerships, enhance supports for Indigenous students, and expand the research excellence of the University.

Staff and Faculty:
Increasing the diversity of staff and faculty at the University of Guelph requires that hiring committees are provided with tools and resources for outreach and for transparent and equitable selection.

Completion of equity, diversity and Inclusion (EDI) training is a requirement of serving on a selection committee for both Staff and Faculty and must be renewed annually for staff and at least once during the life of the collective agreement between the University of Guelph and the University of Guelph Faculty Association. The University developed two online EDI modules (Selection Committee Orientation) beginning in 2019 that address the unique considerations for Faculty and Staff . In addition to online EDI Modules face-to-face orientation sessions from the Office of Diversity and Human Rights or from Human Resources are also available for Hiring Committees. These face-to-face sessions have been a key component of the University’s recruit process since 2014 and can be customized toward the specific requirements of the selection committee and provide opportunity for a dialogue between committee members. The Selection Committee Orientation modules outline the legal requirements of employment equity, closely examines unconscious bias and its effect on each stage of the faculty and staff recruitment processes, and challenges biases that might have effect on particular equity-seeking groups (such as cultural bias that is most likely to affect racialized or Indigenous applicants), and speaks to strategies related to reaching and attracting diverse candidate pools and conducting an equitable decision-making process.. The University offers this training as a means of encouraging connections between departments and the Diversity and Human Rights office and as a means of facilitating institutional monitoring and capacity-building.

In orientation sessions, committees receive guidance on outreach activities. This guidance includes but is not limited to:
• Ways to diversify and recruit members for committees
• How to define position requirements in a manner that encourages female, racialized, or Indigenous applicants.
• How to leverage technological tools to assess potentially gendered language in the position description
• How to advertise the position in a wide variety of ways as to attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates
• How to engage in targeted outreach and connection to potential mentors at the institution

Additionally, the University has established contacts with over eight local/regional community organizations supporting individuals from underrepresented groups and provides weekly notification of new staff opportunities posted to the University of Guelph Career page for circulation to their respective communities. The University is committed to the continuous development of these outreach opportunities and relationships.

Also as part of the University’s outreach strategy, the University commenced an annual subscription with Equitek Employment Equity Solutions, Canada’s foremost National Diversity Outreach Strategy beginning in January 2019. The University maintains a profile page on this site which links job seekers from underrepresented groups to our staff and faculty vacancies and also conveys the institution’s commitment to strengthening the diversity of our staff and faculty composition. Further, the University has recently engaged as an Employer Partner with both the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) as well as Pride at Work Canada. Finally, the University is a member of the Canadian Association for the Prevention of Discrimination and Harassment in Higher Education (CAPDHHE). CAPDHHE provides access to resources on harassment and discrimination, as identified under human rights laws, and provides professional development for individuals employed at colleges and universities in equity-focused areas. These partnerships provide tools and resources that the University can leverage to enhance awareness, dialogue and action among the U of G leadership around diversity and inclusion matters including recruiting. The University is actively working with Pride at Work to have U of G vacancies included on the organization’s job board.

All faculty applicants are encouraged to submit a confidential self-identification survey, the Applicant Tracking Questionnaire (ATQ). Once completed, this information (anonymized and aggregated) is provided to the search committee to help them ensure that members of the designated groups are considered and provided with equal opportunity.

Gender-Based Salary Review
In 2017, all full-time female faculty members at the University of Guelph were provided with a raise. The university performed a robust statistical analysis taking into account a wide variety of factors including gender, age, experience, hiring date, and performance data. The results showed female faculty were being underpaid compared to their male colleagues and that the inequities were deeply systemic.

The university gave a $2,050 raise to each faculty member who identified as female or non-male. That represents more than 300 tenured, tenure-track and contract faculty. This recognizes that people who are doing the same job should be compensated equitably.

Full-time female Librarians and Veterinarians received the same $2050 salary adjustment in 2020.

Hiring of Indigenous Faculty
Between 2016-2018, the University of Guelph hired six new Indigenous faculty members as part of a strategy that is changing the University’s perspective and culture by advancing reconciliation. The tenure-track positions span six of the University’s seven colleges.
Along with the new hires, the strategy also included additional supports for Indigenous students and researchers.

This initiative hopes to attract more Indigenous academics to U of G and make the University more accommodating to First Nations, Métis and Inuit scholars and learners.
The new faculty members have help bring an increased awareness of important issues, build valuable community partnerships, enhance supports for Indigenous students, and expand the research excellence of the University.

Additional measures have been implemented to address systemic bias in faculty performance review processes. Beginning in 2020, improved unconscious bias training is being provided to faculty peer performance review committees. Further, evaluation of faculty teaching has also been revised such that faculty may select peer evaluators, rather than traditional student evaluations which may be subject to bias.

The University of Guelph continues to examine opportunities and advance key initiatives that support attracting and hiring staff and faculty from underrepresented groups and acknowledges that maintaining our commitment to increasing the diversity of our staff is critical to our ability to deliver excellence in research and learning.

Student Services

The university provides an array of services and programs that foster a supportive campus environment and allow all students, including those from diverse communities, to thrive and succeed. Examples include:
• START Aboriginal: A two-day, early arrival program designed to help Aboriginal students and their families transition, including learning about residences, resources and academic supports.
• The Office of Intercultural Affairs: Offers advising, social and learning opportunities, mentorship programs, and events that support inclusion and intercultural competencies.
• Transitioning to university and residence life: Our Residence Life program includes evidence-based learning communities and curriculum, innovative programs and services and events
• The Sexual and Gender Diversity Advisor in Student Experience, who provides one-on-one confidential advising on topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity
• Counselling Services, which provides culturally competent and trauma-informed counselling for all students, including those from equity-seeking groups
• The Peer Helper Program, helping students make successful transitions to, through, and from the postsecondary learning environment
• Student Accessibility Services, which guides students with disabilities through the accommodation process and provides confidential guidance
• The Indigenous Resource Centre, providing support for transition to university; advising and counselling; and financial supports for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Students
• A variety of student clubs and associations for a wide range of equity-seeking groups available through the Central Student Association. These clubs include: Guelph Black Student Association, Guelph Iranian Student Association, Guelph Queer Equality, Guelph Resource Centre for Gender Empowerment and Diversity, Guelph Women in Computer Science, Muslim Students' Association, EngiQueers Guelph, Pakistani Students Association, Service Dog Society, Sikh Students Association, Sign Club, and University of Guelph Chinese Students and Scholars Association. A complete list of the relevant student clubs and associations is available here: https://uoguelph.campuslabs.ca/engage/organizations
• The Guelph Student FoodBank, providing graduate and undergraduate students access to emergency food, anti-poverty resources, and referrals to other assistance groups
• Family housing through the University of Guelph Student Housing Services staff association

GenEq
GenEQ is an essential part of the University’s strategy to ensure a broad institutional and intersectional lens is applied to gender equity. This group is focused on ensuring that barriers to recruitment, selection, and retention are understood and contextualized within the broader institutional framework. This initiative ensures that senior leadership is responding effectively to systemic barriers and demonstrating accountability for ensuring that systemic barriers are addressed.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund
The University of Guelph is firmly committed to an inclusive campus that respects the diversity and unique character of every member within our University community. Fostering a culture of inclusion begins with acknowledging and celebrating the diversity among us and recognizing that, due to systemic factors, some members of our community experience barriers to education, employment, and full participation in the University community. The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund aims to encourage and build a strong culture of inclusion and equity on campus through a number of ongoing projects and activities in all sectors. This fund provides opportunities for members of the community (staff, faculty and students) to submit proposals that aim to enhance inclusion on campus. Proposals can be creative activities, educational projects or events, curriculum initiatives or space design changes intended to better welcome or support members of our community who traditionally have been marginalized. This is a new initiative that will be part of a new strategic framework within the Office of Diversity and Human Rights. Up to $200,000 will be provided annually to this initiative.

Counselling and Guidance for Staff
Various other counselling and peer supports are available for staff members including the Employee and Family Assistance Program, which provides 24 hour counselling for employees, and the Queer University of Guelph Faculty and Staff Network, providing education, resources, programming, and support for employees across the spectrums of gender and sexuality.

https://askoutline.wordpress.com/resources/gender-neutral-washrooms/at-uog/
https://www.uoguelph.ca/student experience/community/outline/trans-residence
https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/current/pdffiles/c09.pdf
https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/studentfinance/aid/disability
https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/studentfinance/apps/awards?id=E1088
https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/studentfinance/apps/awards?id=E4542
https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/studentfinance/apps/awards?id=E0379
https://www.ontario.ca/page/2017-20-strategic-mandate-agreement-university-guelph#section-5