Task Force Update

Week of November 12, 2020

Task Force (TF) met on November 12 for the regular bi-weekly meeting.

Updates:

• Smith Blue Sky EDII Projects fund – a revised description of the new Blue Sky EDII Projects fund was shared with the TF, which had earlier provided input into its design. The initiative offers funding to teams of Smith students, faculty and staff (each team to include two of the three groups) to create projects that advance EDII at Smith. Projects could include the creation of new active learning opportunities, teaching materials, resources, technologies, events, and safe spaces, aimed at increasing awareness and addressing EDII related issues. The first round of applications is due on January 25, 2021.
• New financial aid for incoming Queen’s students – Queen’s recently announced net new financial aid to make a Queen’s education more accessible for students who self-identify as members of equity-seeking groups. The “Commitment Scholars Awards” aim to increase the diversity of students at Queen’s by offering merit-based and needs-based funds that are renewable during their studies at Queen’s. The funding is part of Queen’s declaration of commitment to address systemic racism, pledged by the Principal and senior leadership team in August, 2020.

Discussion:

• Smith EDII Strategic Plan: The facilitated EDII strategic planning sessions were completed on November 4. Six group sessions were held. All Smith faculty, staff and students were invited to participate. The purpose of the consultations was to gather and prioritize recommendations from the Smith community that will ensure Smith’s EDII efforts are sustainable, progressive and engrained in how the school functions. The consultations are informing the Smith EDII strategic plan, currently under development as part of the mandate of the Smith EDII Task Force. The TF discussed the report that was generated from the six group sessions. Observations included:
  • Similarity in priorities and recommendations – there were several common recommendations and priorities identified by all groups.
  • Curriculum – all groups identified as a priority the embedding of EDII principles into the curriculum for all programs. Faculty will need support to implement these changes across different subject areas and programs; for example, quantitative and qualitative courses may have different approaches.
  • Participation in the sessions – concern that a small number of Commerce students volunteered for the sessions. Better communication about the purpose of the sessions may have increased engagement. The need to provide safe spaces is important as is building trust.
  • Next steps – All members of the working groups will receive the anonymized report. A sub-group of the TF is drafting the EDII strategic plan to share with the TF for input. Working Group mandates may shift after the strategic plan is completed.

Working Group updates:

• The Alumni EDII Working Group will hold a facilitated consultation with the Smith alumni who recently joined the Working Group to gather their input and advice in establishing Smith’s EDII priorities.
• Career Advancement Centre (CAC) – the CAC team participated in the Land Acknowledgement Workshop offered by Queen’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives. In addition, the CAC is starting to collect information from students about membership in equity-seeking groups. It will be used by the CAC to better understand students’ use of services (e.g. career counselling, career training), as well as career outcomes and starting salaries. This will help the CAC identify gaps and equity challenges, and determine where extra support may be required.
• Queen’s Conference on Indigenous Reconciliation – TF member Ann Deer, Indigenous Recruiter and Support Coordinator, shared that Smith Commerce and Queen’s Law students are co-organizing two virtual events as part of the Queen's Conference on Indigenous Reconciliation (QCIR) – formerly known as Reconciliation on Bay Street. The purpose is to strengthen the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in corporate Canada, and in law. The first event will consider the current barriers to realizing economic reconciliation and the role that the delegates, as future lawyers and business leaders, must play in helping to overcome these challenges. The second event will be a half-day conference to further explore these issues. Both events will feature expert discussion on economic reconciliation as well as practicing alliances and allyship in professional careers.