Dear colleagues,
You will remember that on March 3, I sent a letter to Provost Dr. Verna Yiu urging her to provide clarity on how the Employer will remain compliant for research funding given the removal of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion measures in the draft Recruitment Policy. Specifically, I raised concerns in relation to the University’s continued compliance with the Canada Research Chair (CRC) Program, which includes meeting extensive EDI expectations.
I asked Dr. Yiu to specifically provide answers to these questions:
- How can the Employer assure our members, especially those most directly affected in our Faculty Constituency, that this draft Recruitment Policy, if approved, would not put the University in breach of the CRC Program’s EDI requirements?
- And following on from that, that the university would not be, by extension potentially risking other Tri-Council research funding programs, all of which have compulsory EDI components?
I have now received a letter from Dr. Yiu which can be read here. Disappointingly, the letter fails to provide concrete answers. Instead, it echoes Dr. Yiu’s previous communication with vague statements that gesture to alignment and compliance without supporting evidence.
It is unacceptable to leave critical details about maintaining key research funding up in the air. Our university must maintain compliance for EDI expectations established by major funders.
The Board of Governors is scheduled to approve the draft recruitment policy at their meeting this Friday, March 27. AASUA has launched a letter template that members can use to express concerns about these unanswered questions and urge the Board to reject the draft recruitment policy. Each letter will also be sent to President Bill Flanagan and Provost Verna Yiu.
Send a letter to the Board of Governors urging them to reject the draft Recruitment Policy
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/concerns-regarding-compliance-for-research-funding/
Our template is only a guideline; you can modify the contents of the letter however you would like.
Together, let’s take action to protect research funding for our university.
Send your letter now.
In solidarity,
Gordon Swaters
AASUA President