Arts Initiatives

Faculty of Arts initiatives to create an equitable, just, and oppression-free working and learning environment

The list below represents initiatives begun after January 2021 and will be updated regularly to keep the Arts community informed.

  • Governance
    • Motion to adopt EDI-related changes to all Arts Faculty Council Standing Committees’ terms of reference (May 2021)
      • EDI language common across the ToR
      • Mandatory training for all members
      • Targets for membership from equity-deserving groups
        • Initiative began with a discussion on March 25, 2021 to discuss updated terms of reference for Arts Faculty Council’s Research Committee
  • Policy
    • In collaboration with the Sexual Violence Policy Implementation Committee, headed by Lise Gotell, adoption of a flowchart for responding to disclosures of sexual violence and liaisons for support and advice on the policy
  • Hiring and Evaluation Practices
    • Faculty Evaluation Committee (FEC) EDI subcommittee will recommend the adoption of a number of EDI-related changes to the FEC Handbook and evaluation processes (May 2021)
      • Indications of evaluation areas where equity should especially be considered
      • Adding an Equity Officer to the Committee membership 
      • Recognizing that shadow supervision and other informal forms of mentoring and supervision are a labour that may fall to members of equity-seeking groups. Identifying these in the reporting and evaluation of teaching and supervision.
      • Using more inclusive pronouns in the Handbook (May 2021)
    • Working group established to review and revise inclusive hiring practices in the Faculty of Arts (March 2021)
  • Diversity in Faculty-Member Complement
    • Data for faculty-member demographics published (May 2021)
    • Search for Canada Research Chair in Black Studies in English and Film Studies launched (January 2021)
  • Training
    • Two sessions for faculty members and iInstructors on developing an inclusive and oppression-free working and learning culture in collaboration with Parker Leflar, Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights (May 2021)
    • Three anti-racism and anti-oppression training for Arts leaders, in collaboration with Action Dignity (Calgary) and Parker Leflar (February–March 2021)
  • Student Support
    • Establishment of two donor funded undergraduate student needs-based annual bursaries worth $2500 each: The Dr James Lin Bursary for Black Students and the Paul & Celestine Bursary for Indigenous Students (March 2021)
    • Maerin Investments Award for Philosophy Arts majors to support FNMI students approved in June 2021
    • Community Service Learning received a $50,000 award to support Indigenous students, racialized Canadians, persons with disabilities, women in STEM, newcomers, and rural and remote students. The funds will support 30 Arts students along with 20 students in Education, Business, and Computer Science for a total of $1000 each. The award comes from the ihub CEWIL program to incentivise student registration in and recognize existing student participation in courses with CSL components.
  • Student-led Initiatives 
    • OASIS VP-External 
      • EDI Podcast initiative: Interviewing community members regarding their experiences and opinions of equity, diversity, and inclusion issues in the community; 38 registrants and 3 speakers around the topic of privilege, https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZuYlWrf6aQnLFSNXoUve4 (April 2021)
      • Penpal with Seniors: Bridging the gap between Arts students and the greater Edmonton community through collaborating with the South West Seniors Association, delivering 28 letters providing emotional support and companionship during a time of vulnerability and isolation (April 2021)
  • Accessibility 
    • On March 25, 2021, Arts Faculty Council directed the Dean and Governance Coordinator to look into hybrid (in-person, online) meeting format options for AFC and report back. Until there is more information available, AFC meetings will continue to be held remotely.
    • As of March 19, 2021, meetings of Arts Faculty Council and EDID Forums that are held via video conference will now include automated transcription
  • General
    • Monthly EDID Forums have been held from January–April 2021 for discussion and feedback from the community
      • Culminating in a set of priorities to be ranked by the community and acted upon by the Dean’s Office in the 2021–22 academic year (May 2021)