University of Ottawa
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The University recognizes its obligations under and the legal framework set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code with respect to harassment and discrimination and under the Occupational Health and Safety Act with respect to workplace harassment.

The University is committed to maintaining a learning and work environment that promotes the understanding and respect for dignity of the person as part of the University community and one that is free from harassment and discrimination.

The University will provide and maintain a fair and timely process for reporting, investigating complaints of harassment and/or discrimination and determining consequences through collective agreement provisions or University procedures developed under this Policy.

The University will take appropriate preventative and corrective action where harassment or discrimination occurs and will, where warranted, hold individuals responsible in accordance with applicable collective agreement provisions, terms of employment or other University policies or regulations. 1

A person may file or withdraw a complaint of harassment or discrimination pursuant to this Policy and its procedures without fear of reprisal or threat, except where paragraph 11 of this Policy applies.

Where the University has finally determined the complaint to be frivolous, vexatious or made in bad faith, the University will take appropriate preventative and corrective action and will, where warranted, hold individuals responsible in accordance with applicable collective agreement provisions, terms of employment or other University policies or regulations.

https://www2.uottawa.ca/about-us/policies-regulations/policy-67a-prevention-harassment-and-discrimination

The Human Rights Office is the office designated to receive and manage all complaints of harassment or discrimination under Policy 67a. Human Rights Officers respond to incidences and complaints.
Each case is unique, but the Human Rights Office provides support through out the process of dealing with harassment or discrimination.

Human Rights Officers listen in confidence and will do everything they can to provide advice and guidance.
A consultation involves a conversation between a party and a discrimination and harassment prevention officer. This discussion allows the officer to provide information on our services so the party can make informed choices about a complaint and dispute resolution options. During a consultation, the party is invited to share their perspective on the situation so that the officer can help the party identify possible options for resolving the conflict.
https://www.uottawa.ca/respect/en/harassment-discrimination-MiniHomePage/services

For incidences of sexual violence, the Human Rights Office provides a full information guide, including how the Office will respond to an incident, in order to help survivors understand and navigate the process.
https://www.uottawa.ca/violence-sexuelle-soutien-et-prevention/sites/www.uottawa.ca.violence-sexuelle-soutien-et-prevention/files/guide_sexual_violence_en_01.pdf

University of Ottawa implemented the following initiatives related to the recruitment and selection of students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:

Students
EDI and Inclusion in admission
The University of Ottawa is committed to increasing access to postsecondary education for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit learners. This commitment includes offering alternative admission options for Indigenous students in selected programs including the Faculty of Education, Health Sciences, Law and Medicine.

Hiring EDI -Student Work-Placement Program
The Student Work Placement Program can help fund 70% of salary up to $7,000 for first-year students and under-represented groups, including women in STEM, Indigenous students, persons with disabilities and newcomers. LGBTQ2SA+ Employees

Women (and new Canadian women)
• The Women Startup Network (WSN) mission is to enable women-led startups. This unique program is designed to foster an entrepreneurial mind-set in women in Engineering and in Computer Science so that they create a positive societal impact. ·
• Advancing New Canadian Women in Technology (ANCWT) is a bridging employment program for new immigrant and refugee women who have technical skills in Engineering, Technology, Computer Science and Information Technology from their home country and the Canadian job market. ANCWT is hosted at the University of Ottawa.

Disabilities
The University of Ottawa has partnered with Carleton University, Algonquin College and La Cite to launch a new program aimed to boosting the employment prospects for students with disabilities through the David C. Onley Initiative for Employment and Enterprise Development.

Academia
uOttawa, in collaboration with the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO), has surveyed faculty members and librarians about issues of equity, diversity and inclusion among faculty, and carried out equity analyses. These efforts informed two (2) reports prepared by the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC), a joint APUO-uOttawa consultative committee on equity, diversity and inclusion.
1. Report of the APUO-Employer Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee 2018-2019
2. Report of the APUO-Employer Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee 2016-2017

These reports revealed the University has significant gaps in the representation of all four (4) employment equity groups in different employment categories

In July 2018, uOttawa appointed Dr. Steffany Bennett as Special Advisor, Diversity and Inclusion, to develop a roadmap for integrating the principles of EDI throughout the fabric of the University. In partnership with the APUO, the University has also established a Gender Wage Gap Committee (GWGC), whose mandate is to investigate potential gender-based, internal pay inequities.

In August 2019, uOttawa was selected as one of 17 Canadian institutions to participate in the Dimensions: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Canada pilot project. Through this program, uOttawa endorses the Dimensions charter that champions eight (8) principles of EDI:
1. The post-secondary research community has the greatest potential to thrive when members experience equitable, inclusive and unbiased systems and practices.
2. To advance institutional equity, diversity and inclusion, specific, measurable and sustainable actions are needed to counter systemic barriers, explicit and unconscious biases, and inequities. This includes addressing obstacles faced by, but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons (members of visible minorities) or racialized groups, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
3. Institutions require qualitative and quantitative data to measure, monitor, understand and publicly report on challenges and progress made. The analysis of the data should inform a comprehensive, in-depth, intersectional understanding of the contexts, manifestations and experiences that result from inequities, underrepresentation and exclusion among all post-secondary community members.
4. When equity, diversity and inclusion considerations and practices are integral to research participation, to the research itself, and to research training and learning environments, research excellence, innovation and creativity are heightened across all disciplines, fields of study and stages of career development.
5. To contribute to reconciliation, research with, by or impacting Indigenous Peoples must align with the research policies and best practices identified through ongoing engagement with First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples and their organizations.
6. Advancing equity, diversity and inclusion is a shared responsibility that requires dedicated resources and strong leadership at all levels. Senior leadership demonstrates commitment through public endorsement, by ensuring the work involved is resourced and distributed fairly, and by embedding changes in institutional governance and accountability structures.
7. Issues of institutional and individual safety, trust, belonging, privacy and power differentials must be recognized and pro-actively addressed; this will be most successful when those impacted are directly engaged in defining the actions.
8. Achieving the overall objective of the Dimensions program—to foster increased research excellence, innovation and creativity within the post-secondary sector across all disciplines through increased equity, diversity and inclusion—involves institutional collaboration, transparency, and the sharing of challenges, successes and promising practices.

Participation in the Dimensions program is voluntary. By choosing to endorse this charter, uOttawa has committed itself to adopting the eight (8) above principles throughout its practices and culture to achieve greater equity, diversity and inclusion. uOttawa’s commitment to the charter will reflect on its ongoing and productive engagement with its community.

Academia and Staff
Training on EDI in hiring process
• In 2019, the University of Ottawa (Human Resources, Faculty Relations, Human Rights Office), in partnership with the Association of Professors of the University Ottawa have created a mandatory EDI training and learning session on employment equity and unconscious bias for all selection panel members sitting on faculty hiring committees.
• The University of Ottawa is an active member of EQUITEK Employment Equity Solutions is Canada’s first and foremost company to provide outreach solutions and the pioneer of Strategic Diversity Sourcing. This organization assists Canadian corporations and institutions strengthen their recruitment initiatives by providing an inclusive outreach network of diverse career organizations.

New Canadian
• Hire Immigrants Ottawa (HIO) is an initiative that brings together employers, immigrant agencies and stakeholders to enhance employers’ ability to access the talents of skilled immigrants in the Ottawa area. The University of Ottawa has been attending coaching sessions for Hire Immigrants Ottawa and liaise with Hire Immigrants Ottawa to assist the partner in working with targeted employers at uOttawa.
• The University of Ottawa has a partnership with Project, OLIP (Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership).

Indigenous
• Indigenous Affairs has formed the Standing Committee on Indigenous Engagement.
The University of Ottawa 2019-2024 Indigenous Action Plan (IAP), includes the steps taken to develop an Indigenous faculty recruitment and hiring policy for tenure-track and part-time positions

The Faculty of Law at uOttawa made hiring Indigenous professors a priority via its Community building initiatives. It has now one of the highest numbers of Indigenous faculty of any Canadian law school.

An Indigenous staff recruitment plan to ensure that Indigenous staff are represented throughout the University of Ottawa workforce.

Indigenous Affairs partners with Actua’s InSTEM program and Let’s Talk Science’s northern Indigenous engagement program.

Pre- and post-doctoral positions for Indigenous graduate students and/or a series of dedicated scholarships and bursaries

Hiring -Women
• Policy 94 - Pro-Active Recruitment of Women Professors

Hiring Disabilities
• The University of Ottawa is an active member of EARN (Employment Accessibility Resource Network) and has been participating in EARN’s career fair.

Here are the links:
• https://med.uottawa.ca/professional-affairs/office-equity-diversity-and-inclusion
• https://telfer.uottawa.ca/en/careercentre/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/
• https://health.uottawa.ca/equity-diversity-inclusion
• https://med.uottawa.ca/professional-affairs/office-equity-diversity-and-inclusion/edi-resources

STUDENTS
Through the Indigenous Resource Centre, the University of Ottawa offers services, among other things, academic guidance, peer help support, and student mentoring to Indigenous students who register to their service.
Students are also referred to the University of Ottawa Students’ Union because they offer many services to students from underrepresented groups, including the Racialized and Indigenous Students Experience Centre, the International House, the Pride Centre, the Centre for Students with Disabilities, the Multi-Faith Centre and the Women’s Resource Centre.
The Student Union also recently introduced a new service "Resources for / from the Black Community"
https://www.seuo-uosu.com/resources-for-from-the-black-community/

ACADEMIC STAFF
The Indigenous Affairs hired Elaine Kicknosway, an Indigenous counsellor with a social work degree, to be available to anyone on campus who needs support, including Indigenous academic staff, Indigenous non-academic staff, as well as Indigenous students.

NON ACADEMIC STAFF
The Indigenous Affairs hired Elaine Kicknosway, an Indigenous counsellor with a social work degree, to be available to anyone on campus who needs support, including Indigenous academic staff, Indigenous non-academic staff, as well as Indigenous students.
Additionally, some of the service from the Student Union are available to non academic staff as well (Pride Centre, Women's Resource Centre)

*The University of Ottawa's Human Rights Office offers workshops and training to help staff foster a more inclusive environment for all campus community members.
https://www.uottawa.ca/respect/en/diversity-inclusion

The University of Ottawa's Career Services offers special programs for students with disabilities including information about accommodations when seeking employment, organizations designed to help those with disabilities find employment, as well as other employment and support resources.
https://www2.uottawa.ca/current-students/career-experiential-learning/career-development/students-disability

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