Dear colleagues,
Today I sent a letter to 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 CRC Program, which includes meeting extensive EDI expectations. You can view the letter here.
While Dr. Yiu recently published a statement asserting that the university remains compliant with research funding requirements, her announcement fell short of explicitly outlining how this would be achieved given the university’s abandonment of EDI language and measures in the draft recruitment policy [AASUA has prepared a side-by-side comparison between the current and proposed draft Recruitment Policy]. I am asking Dr. Yiu to specifically provide answers to the following 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 am hopeful I will receive an answer from Dr. Yiu. Any answer received will be shared with AASUA members.
Sincerely,
Gordon Swaters
AASUA President