University of Ottawa
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity

Number of employees from diversity groups
Noël Badiou, Director of the Human Rights Office and Dr. Steffany Bennett, Special Advisor, Diversity and Inclusion for the University of Ottawa established a Count- Me-in Campaign. The data are “live” and updated every time a member of the university community enters or updates their self-identification information. The statistics and analysis of this data is used to investigate employment equity gaps and adjust EDI and employment equity plans and programs.

Recruitment from diversity groups, employee perceptions of discrimination and harassment
• Processes were implemented to help fulfill the Dimension charter’s principles of collecting qualitative and quantitative data to measure, monitor, understand and publicly report on challenges and progress made.
• In 2020 a new employee self-identification survey has been lauched. This survey aims to enable University of Ottawa to expand its gender analysis, to include Indigenous People, members of visible minority/racialized groups, members of LGBTQ2+ communities, as well members of the francophone, anglophone, and bilingual linguistic communities. The results of the new survey helped refresh the University’s data and will be key in assisting the University in furthering its EDI goals.
• A new Dimensions ‘inclusion’ campaign, championed by the Director of Human Rights, Noël A. J. Badiou has been launched in fall 2020 with the official roll out the employee self-identification survey. Data collection are collected and to be made public on the University of Ottawa website.

Benchmarking external best-practices
• The University of Ottawa 2019-2020 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) Report was produced through an environmental scan of equity, diversity and inclusion policies and practices, as well as hiring, retention and promotional policies and practises at Canadian and U.S. universities.

Overall progress in creating an inclusive workplace
The University of Ottawa provide reports using the following mechanisms:
• Feedback collected from the Human Rights Office and uOsatisfaction.
• Complaints made at various places (Ombudsperson, Human Rights Office, Protection Services etc.)
• Results of the consultation process facilitated by the Human Rights Office (in person or online).

BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour)
• The Special Advisor on Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence provides public reports and updates to the Board of Governors on ongoing antiracism efforts on campus.
• The Steering Committee on Anti-Racism and Inclusion includes four working groups to address diversity and inclusion at uOttawa: Student Experience, Pedagogy, Employment Equity and Equity, Diversity; and Inclusion in Research. This Committee is composed of representatives of BIPOC/equity-seeking and diversity students, faculty and staff has been launched. It is mandated to:
o review and assess University resources, programs, policies, processes, and practices to understand how they contribute to systemic racism;
o provide recommendations that will further the inclusion of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) members at the University;
o eliminate barriers to the University’s diversity and inclusion efforts;
o provide oversight of the recommendations; and
o provide regular progress reports to the University’s Administrative Committee and Board of Governors.

Disabilities
Under the AODA, the University is required to take steps to make its goods, services and employment opportunities accessible by 2025 and to report publicly on the status of these commitments. The Human Rights Office worked with various units as per Section 31 of Policy 119 — Accessibility to draft and publish the 2020-2021 status report. This report describes the progress on steps taken by the HRO and other designated units to implement the strategy set out in the 2019-2024 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.
• The advisory committee uOaccessible, helps the University in monitoring matters related to accessibility for members of the University community living with a disability. The Committee includes two representatives of staff (including professors) living with a disability, two students living with a disability, including one undergraduate and one graduate and one representative of the Centre for Students with Disabilities. The Committee as the following mandate:
o Provide advice and recommendations to authorities responsible for accessibility under Policy 119 — Accessibility and with regards to a multi-year accessibility plan;
o Assist in assessing the fulfilment of commitments made in the multi-year accessibility plan when drafting annual progress reports on the plan;
o Participate in consultation processes developed by bodies responsible for accessibility under Policy 119; and
o Advise the Human Rights Office on emerging issues related to accessibility, as required
• The Multiyear Accessibility Plan and the Annual reports of this plan build and reviewed in consultation with the campus community with a disability, shared to the board of governors and publish on the Human Rights Office website.
• The Human Rights Office Annual Reports provide an overview of the number and nature of complaints related to disabilities, the knowledge gaps and progress report on campus EDI and Human rights projects.

Sexual violence
The Standing Committee on the Prevention of Sexual Violence (SCPSV) and the Human Rights Office (HRO) jointly present this report on activities taking place from May 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021.

The SCPSV was formed in 2016. Its mandate is a) to work in collaboration with the University community to foster a safe learning environment and b) to recommend relevant initiatives, strategies or programs that ensure and improve the continuity of services, policies, processes and other preventative measures.

For its part, the HRO is responsible for responding to disclosures and complaints of sexual violence that concern members of the University community. The HRO offers a range of services to survivors, in addition to information on the options and processes that apply under the relevant policies. Finally, the HRO implements prevention, awareness and educational initiatives.

Over the past year, the SCPSV and the HRO have worked together to fight against sexual violence at the University of Ottawa. Given the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in personnel, the 2020-2021 year posed a unique set of challenges, such as providing services through various virtual channels and a smaller HRO team. This report is divided into three sections.

EDI- The University of Ottawa produced the following plans and reports:
• University of Ottawa 2019-2020 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) Report
• Report to the President: Diversity and Inclusion - Challenge and Promise
• Report of the APUO-Employer Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee 2019-2020
• Report of the APUO-Employer Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee 2018-2019
• Human Rights Office Annual Reports

Indigenous
The University of Ottawa 2019-2024 Indigenous Action Plan (IAP), includes the steps taken to
• develop Indigenous competency courses for faculty, staff, Board of Governors members and members of the Senate from outside uOttawa
• ensure and maintain a minimum of two Indigenous members on the Board of Governors and Senate

BIPOC
5 initiatives designed to combat systemic racial discrimination in all three core areas of the University’s mission: student experience, pedagogy and research. Since then, the university accomplished the following:
• Begun developing a policy of zero tolerance of race-based discrimination/harassment of any kind and a reminder that unconsented physical contact such at touching of hair/clothes could be a violation of the University’s Policy 67-a (Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination) or Policy 67-b (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) or the Policy on Workplace Violence.
• Started to design a new anti-racism and inclusive excellence training module to be added to student orientation sessions.
• Supported the implementation of new programs to encourage and assist BIPOC students entering law and medicine, among other programs. For example, the Common Law Section of the Faculty of Law has launched new entrance scholarships for Black law students. Additionally, a fundraising campaign will be launched to provide even more support to BIPOC students.
• Worked to identify and assess the number of BIPOC students enrolled at uOttawa and in which courses/programs they are enrolled so we can use current data to identify and address opportunities and gaps in support of BIPOC student success. This Count Me In survey is open and students are being encouraged to participate through uOZone.
• Hired two new racialized mental health counselors at uOttawa to support BIPOC, Indigenous and racialized students
• Begun recruiting an initial cohort of BIPOC professors who will start teaching in the fall term. This will be an ongoing effort over multiple years to significantly increase the representation and diversity of uOttawa’s faculty.
• The Special Advisor, Anti Racism and Inclusion met with student groups, (including the Black Law Students’ Association, the Afro Caribbean Mentorship Program (ACMP), uRacism.e, and l’Association des étudiants autochtones en droit, among others) as well as student unions, faculty and staff from across campus including BIPOC faculty members and reported back to the University’s senior executive.

Disabilitiy
• University of Ottawa Accessibility Plan 2019-2024 and annual progress reports

Harassment and Discrimination
• Ombudsman Reports.
• Human Rights Office Annual Reports

The University track progress using the following reports:

https://www.uottawa.ca/gazette/en/news/uottawas-indigenous-action-plan-guide-our-university-community

https://thefulcrum.ca/news/first-draft-of-u-of-os-indigenous-action-plan-revealed/

https://media.uottawa.ca/news/president-jacques-fremont-announces-new-anti-racism-initiatives-senate

https://www.uottawa.ca/vice-president-academic/advisor-anti-racism-inclusion

https://www.uottawa.ca/indigenous/about-us

Links to EDI reports
https://www.uottawa.ca/respect/en/about-us/reports
https://www.uottawa.ca/president/special-advisor-diversity-and-inclusion
https://www.uottawa.ca/indigenous/about-us/governance/standing-committee-on-indigenous-engagement
https://www.uottawa.ca/respect/en/combatting-racism-on-campus
https://www.uottawa.ca/respect/en/accessibility
https://www.uottawa.ca/respect/en/employment-equity
https://www.uottawa.ca/indigenous/about-us

The University of Ottawa includes many different communities, buildings, faculties, departments, student groups, activist groups, unions, staff teams, partners. We ensure that the map of our strategic solutions aligns with the specific contours of our challenges, while our values and principles remain constant.

The University of Ottawa has made a public commitment to certain equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. Between 2019 and 2021, actions were taking on the following commitments:
• Universities Canada Principles on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• The federal government’s Dimensions: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Canada program
• The Comprehensive Approach to Addressing Racism and Discrimination on Campus
• The Canadian Accessibility Network
• The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for the Canadian Research Chairs Program
• Memorandum of understanding signed with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba in March 2017
• The new Dimensions charter that champions eight principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) The charter aims to identify and address systemic barriers in post-secondary education and research advancement, particularly those experienced by members of underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups, and members of LGBTQ2+ communities.

Town Halls
In 2019 the University held two town halls addressing anti-Black Racism at uOttawa that deepened our community’s shared understanding of the multiple and varied impacts of racism on campus. These events were followed by an informative public forum where leading experts shared best practices and strategies to combat racism, better equipping us to ensure greater acceptance and inclusivity on our campus. These conversations – like others still to come – were important to understand the realities of anti-Black racism on campus and to determine the extent of the systemic challenges we face as we seek to change our culture.

Inclusion Survey
The University also launched the University of Ottawa Campus Climate Survey on Diversity and Inclusion, which generated more than 6,000 completed responses. The results of this survey, and others to follow, will enable the University to implement a wide range of more inclusive policies to promote diversity across campus.
In 2021 President Jacques Frémont’s 5 initiatives designed to combat systemic racial discrimination in all three core areas of the University’s mission: student experience, pedagogy and research.
1. Developing a policy of zero tolerance of race-based discrimination/harassment of any kind.
2. Designing a new anti-racism and inclusive excellence training module to be added to student orientation sessions.
3. Hired two new racialized mental health counselors at uOttawa to support BIPOC, Indigenous and racialized students
4. Begun recruiting an initial cohort of BIPOC professors who will start teaching in the fall term. This will be an ongoing effort over multiple years to significantly increase the representation and diversity of uOttawa’s faculty.
5. New mandatory trainings on racial bias, policing, Indigenous awareness and mental health.

Steps are also being taken to hire an EDI specialist to assist Protection Services in enacting its transformation plan.