Engaging the community in inclusivity

Engaging the community in inclusivity

The 2017-18 budget allocated $1 million for diversity and inclusivity initiatives, including support for ideas from the community.

By Phil Gaudreau

April 16, 2018

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[The QBAS conference team]
The Queen's Black Academic Society (QBAS) conference team. From left to right: Dayna Richards (Artsci '19), Kianah Lecuyer (Artsci '19), Maclite Tesfaye (Artsci '19), Sydney Williams (Artsci '18), and Brandon Tyrell (Artsci '19). (Photo by Zoe Walwyn)

When the Principal鈥檚 Implementation Committee on Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (PICRDI) issued its final report last year, the university was given dozens of recommendations to respond to 鈥 creating new positions, updating policies, and funding initiatives.

To help meet some of the needs, the university set aside $1 million per year over three years dedicated specifically to diversity and inclusivity initiatives. The funding has primarily been used to pay for a number of big-picture priorities, but some was put aside to support community initiatives 鈥 mainly to bring in speakers and host events.

鈥淎 more diverse campus community enhances our academic mission, our student experience, and our research,鈥 says Teri Shearer, Deputy Provost (Academic Operations and Inclusion). 鈥淭hese initiatives have offered many opportunities to share diverse perspectives and ideas across the university over the past year, and I thank all of the organizers who are helping us build a more inclusive community.鈥

[Photo from Mus[interpreted] art collection]
Additional funding for the Journal of Critical Race Inquiry has allowed them to purchase art like this image, from the 鈥淭ruth & Dare Project鈥 by Zahra Agjee, to enhance the journal鈥檚 presentation. (Supplied Photo)

A total of six initiatives were funded, resulting in dozens of high profile speakers visiting campus and some enhancements to a key diversity publication produced at Queen鈥檚.

The , a publication based in Queen鈥檚 Gender Studies department, received some additional funding to help with the journal鈥檚 long-term planning and allowed them to make some investments to enhance the journal鈥檚 presentation 鈥 for instance, the February edition featured an art piece from the (Mus)interpreted project. Providing more funding for the journal was a recommendation of the PICRDI report.

In the academic year ahead, Samantha King, Head of the Department of Gender Studies, says the journal is planning an international symposium and special issue on 鈥楧ecolonial Sex and Love鈥.

The (SNID) speaker series was another initiative which received support. In addition to featuring 12 Queen鈥檚 academics, SNID 2017-18 co-chair Karen Dubinsky says the funding they received helped them bring in 12 up-and-coming speakers.

Upcoming Events
SNID: 鈥 Thurs, Apr 19, 5 鈥 6:30 pm, Mackintosh-Corry Hall Room D214

Muslim Societies, Global Perspectives: 鈥 Sat, Apr 28, 9 am 鈥 5 pm, Watson Hall Room 217

鈥淪ome of the highlights of this year鈥檚 series were Tanya Talaga, author of Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Deaths and Hard Truths in a Northern City; and Robin Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present,鈥 says Dr. Dubinsky, who is a Professor in Global Development Studies and History. 鈥淏oth of these authors came to Queen鈥檚 at the beginning their book tours, and these titles have since become celebrated across Canada.鈥

Other groups across the institution and the Kingston community joined in with the Provost鈥檚 Office to help fund some of these programs. For example, the Faculty of Arts & Science partnered with the Provost鈥檚 Office to help fund the initiative, which hosted a series of events looking at the legacy of Kingston resident and Syrian immigrant George Masoud, the 2017 Qu茅bec mosque massacre, and medieval Jerusalem.

[Adnan Husain, Ariel Salzmann, Gord Dueck]
Adnan Husain, Ariel Salzmann, and Gord Dueck of the History Department pose with a poster from their event about the life of George Masoud. (University Communications)

The support also resulted in some brand new projects, such as the Future of Black Scholarship Conference organized by the Queen鈥檚 Black Academic Society. More than 90 students, faculty, and alumni attended, and organizers say they hope to build on that with a second conference in 2019. Various community and corporate sponsors supplemented the Provost鈥檚 Office sponsorship.

Dr. Shearer says the Provost鈥檚 Office will seek to raise awareness of the opportunity to apply for funding in the year ahead. Her office is currently drafting terms of reference for the application process, which will be unveiled this fall.

Reports will be issued in the near future which detail the university鈥檚 overall progress in meeting the PICRDI recommendations since the report was issued last year. You can find links to all the mid-term updates on the .

Arts and Science