Anna Voskuil | News Editor
Featured Image: The report recommends further plans for equity and inclusion on campus. | Hanad Adan
Recently, the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (REI) published their annual report that highlights improvements in equity and inclusion at York within the past year, as well as recognize problem areas and provide guidance on future solutions.
The REI states they aim “to be a leader in providing accessible, impartial, non-adversarial, and confidential programs and services that uphold human rights, facilitate equitable access to opportunities, and champion diversity and inclusion.”
They primarily aid with case resolution, but also provide guidance on policy change, as well as education and development in the areas of human rights, inclusion, and equity.
Over the past year, the university has shown progress in equity training and education, including but not limited to: seven events, six external community presentations, and three online education modules.
As well, there was a significant decline in human rights cases filed, and in-person training and professional development programs saw high audience numbers—predominantly students, being 1,319 out of 2,580 attendees in total.
To this, REI’s Executive Director Michael F. Charles says: “Inclusion Day 2018 is worthy of specific mention. Theatre attendance at the annual January event, ‘Decolonizing Community and Curriculum,’ exceeded last year’s totals by a margin of almost three to one.”
Most notably, the REI provides guidance in areas such as, but not limited to: the accommodation process, changing resolution and consultation processes to better accommodate those with disabilities, all-gender housing with the SexGen Sub-Committee, implementation and understanding of the sexual violence policy, a refund policy for transgender students requiring new student cards, as well as several others.
Furthermore, REI highlights three equity-related online training modules introduced this past year: YU Start, geared towards first-year undergraduates, including Active Bystander and sexual consent sections; Respect, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, aimed to better prevent and identify discrimination and harassment on campus; and Respect in the Workplace, in the hopes of improving academic administrators’ responsibilities and education on diversity and inclusion at York.
Another significant project launched this year was the Inclusion Video Project (IVP), which was announced in Fall 2017, in partnership with the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Geared primarily towards students, the IVP acts both as a means of collecting necessary data, as well as an engagement tool.
The IVP aims to facilitate inclusion-focused conversations university-wide, specifically regarding York’s Academic Plan. The report states: “The project will identify inclusion-related successes and opportunities, as well as areas for further inquiry.”
It is hoped to take effect this academic year.
In regards to human rights-related cases filed, about 160 were reported this past year. This is a notable contrast to the past two REI annual reports, which have shown 276 cases from 2016 to 2017, and 462 from 2015 to 2016.
Overall, the 2017 to 2018 report shows that about 90 consultations, 50 inquiries, 19 formal complaints, and only one Office of Student Community Relations referral, were made.
However, less cases were reported, among those made, the majority of cases—37 per cent—were related to disability. Falling at a close second were race-related issues, at about 16.9 per cent.
Further, the report explains that the complexity of cases have significantly heightened. More sensitive issues, such as those related to sexual violence, have undergone much change.
“Going forward, the university will seek even greater momentum and coordination through the development of an institutional EDI strategy to inform recruitment, services, teaching, learning, research, and governance practices,” Charles adds.
