Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan 2022-2024
This strategic EDI plan was developed by the Department of Architectural Science’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.
Version 2, May 31st, 2022
Our sincere thanks to the many students, faculty, instructors and staff at DAS who took the time and effort to engage with the Task Force as we embarked on consultations that inform much of this strategic plan.
In the Department of Architectural Science (DAS) we are exceedingly proud of our diverse community of students, faculty and staff, as well as the academically rigorous and innovative curriculum and the inclusive, welcoming learning environment that we work hard to foster.
Nevertheless, in the last two years, it has become increasingly clear that we need to put more attention on better integrating Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles and practices into our curriculum, activities and culture. Bolstered by students’ call for increased diversification in the curriculum and departmental activities, the department has initiated an EDI Task Force to develop recommendations for a strategic plan to move this agenda forward.
Within DAS, we recognise the need to reflect on our activities, programs and structures, and acknowledge the role that education, as well as practice, have had in perpetuating injustice within the field of architectural science. Our approach is to initiate a sustained dialogue with the DAS community about our programs, curricula, and other activities.
In creating the EDI Task Force, the goal was to bring together students, faculty, instructors and staff, representing a diversity of engagement and perspectives, to define the role of the EDI within the department, recommend new standards of practice and guidelines with regard to the department’s activities in and outside of the classroom, to advise on measures of success and accountability, to identify and recommend professional development, resources and programs required to advance the vision of EDI, to create and pilot a broader departmental engagement and communication strategy in order to socialize EDI throughout DAS and to generate energy and commitment for its implementation. It is hoped that a collaborative and action oriented task force that values the diversity of ideas and experiences will have a substantive impact on the larger culture of architectural science learning within the department, and will also be reflected in our interactions both within the university and the broader AEC community.
This strategic plan is a culmination of multiple department wide consultations, in which students, faculty, instructors and staff shared their experiences, reflections, ideas and suggestions. The department is grateful for all those who participated in this difficult, at times a painful process and particularly to the task force members for their time, hard work and willingness to engage in difficult conversations that are vital to creating more equitable learning environments and facilitating long term cultural change and advancing relevant scholarship and academic inquiry. We are grateful for your courage and commitment towards change.
| Marwa Al-Saqqar | Undergraduate Student |
| Bridgette Dalima | Staff |
| Andrea Estarez | Undergraduate Student |
| Mark Gorgolewski | Chair, DAS |
| Michelle Grant | Instructor |
| Saroash Haider | Undergraduate Student |
| Vincent Hui | Faculty |
| Dorothy Johns | Graduate Student |
| Andrea Mata Celis | Undergraduate Student |
| Jennifer McArthur | Faculty |
| Sheerin Moshtaghizadeh | Undergraduate Student |
| Tapenga Peart | Undergraduate Student |
| Marco Polo | Associate Chair, DAS |
| Treya Vyas | Undergraduate Student |
| Nika Zolfaghari | Manager, Equity and Community Inclusion in the Faculty of Engineering & Architectural Science |
Cultivate inclusive environments to learn, teach and advance research by identifying systemic barriers embedded within our department and ensure diverse voices, experiences and perspectives are meaningfully represented and integrated into the culture, curriculum, and the broader architectural science community.
After consultations with students, faculty and staff, the Task Force has identified five general themes to address in the EDI strategic plan. These themes speak to student learning experiences both in and out of the classroom related to curriculum, better communication around EDI initiatives, outreach and recruitment to diversify the student, faculty, instructor and staff roster and bring fresh perspectives to the department, address cultural change through ongoing efforts to educate, unlearn and share experiences to create inclusive learning and working environments. As well, enhance the student experience through partnerships between firms and advocacy organizations who are also undertaking this work. Further, broaden outreach to neighbourhoods and schools in traditionally underserved communities to foster architectural education and offer opportunities for hands-on learning. Our objectives are to address these identified thematic goals.
Five corresponding themes
- Curriculum
- Communication
- Outreach & Recruitment
- Culture change
- Student experience
Over the life of this plan, DAS commits to ongoing public reporting on our progress with respect to the measures set out in this plan, and to create opportunities for feedback from our community members, through multiple formats on EDI work at DAS. The plans listed below are set for the next two years, and include work that is currently in progress - both short term plans for the near future, as well as work that will require more time, thought and collaboration with multiple stakeholders within and outside the department. It is intended that the EDI Task Force will continue its work and oversee the implementation of this plan.
Before setting out aspirational plans and goals, it is important to state the definition of key terminology as adopted by the Toronto Metropolitan U University’s Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion (OVPECI) to establish the context for plans that follow, even if the TF recognizes there may be multiple other possible meanings to these terms.
Equity means fairness and just treatment; people of all identities being treated fairly. It means ensuring that the processes for allocating resources and decision-making are fair to all and do not discriminate on the basis of any identity characteristics. There is a need to put measures in place to eliminate discrimination and inequalities and ensure, to the best degree possible, equal opportunities. Equity is needed to achieve equality. However, to achieve a truly equitable situation, historical and systemic barriers to equality need to be addressed along with creating a culture of fair treatment of all peoples.
Diversity consists of the conditions, expressions and experiences of different groups identified by age, education, sexual orientation, gender expression and identity, parental status/responsibility, immigration status, Indigenous status, religion, disability, language, race, place of origin, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status and other attributes. Recognizing and valuing diversity must be accompanied by concerted efforts to ensure inclusion of diverse populations, meaning that individuals are and feel valued, respected and equally supported.
Inclusion requires creating an environment in which all people are respected equitably and have access to the same opportunities. “Organizationally, inclusion requires the identification and removal of barriers (e.g., physical, procedural, visible, invisible, intentional, unintentional) that inhibit [applicants’] participation and contribution. Inclusion also requires investigators and team members to demonstrate values and principles of fairness, justice, equity, and respect by being open to different voices and perspectives, developing an understanding of different cultures, experiences and communities, and making a conscious effort to be welcoming, helpful and respectful to everyone.”
1. Better integrate the work of the EDI Task Force with the ongoing work of the Curriculum Committee (CC), to ensure the adoption of EDI principles within the larger planning around curriculum updates, including integration of current literature, resources and research that focus on decolonial, inclusive, and sustainable practices in architecture and design for each course, as well as introduce new courses covering issues of EDI within the architecture science field.
- At least one EDI Task Force member to sit on the CC and act as a liaison to ensure EDI issues are raised in the committee (ongoing).
- CC and other appropriate working groups to review the theory/history curriculum and integrate greater non-western perspectives (medium term).
2. Implement a plan to receive and review student feedback for studio and develop a code of conduct with EDI principles in mind for reference.
- Associate Chair, Undergraduate Student Affairs will work with studio coordinators on collecting feedback and developing a code of conduct for integration in the studio (medium term).
3. Broaden accommodation criteria to ensure all students are maximizing their learning objectives by: a) Offering regular in-house electives, including online options, b) Develop a path for students to have flexibility in their study program, to accommodate those who cannot complete the program in the normal full time format.
- Curriculum committee to review how to create a more flexible program of study (Long term).
- Department administration to review how to widen the range of electives to expand the range of perspectives offered (ongoing).
- Department administration to work to reduce the course load in the BArchSc program (medium term).
4. Facilitate conversations and inquiry to foster space for positive, healthy collaboration with those outside of the department. Create more multi-disciplinary exchanges between DAS, AEC, and related advocacy organizations, as well as more integration with SID and SURP within TMU.
- Department administration to initiate discussions with RSID, SURP and industry partners on opportunities (Long term).
5. Review program learning outcomes and add a specific learning outcome related to EDI within the curriculum.
- Department Council asked to initiate a working group to address this goal (medium term).
1. Open ongoing conversations with students, including regular town halls, listening and feedback sessions, check-ins from the Chair and EDI task force.
- EDI Task Force to establish termly check in with students (short term).
2. Better integrated effort by faculty and staff to communicate and promote specific departmental events that advance EDI learning objectives.
- Communications to highlight EDI events in biweekly Newsletter (ongoing).
- Web site to highlight EDI related content (ongoing).
- All communications media to be used to highlight external EDI related events (ongoing).
- Regular update of the DAS EDI page to reflect ongoing activities and ensure that resources and content are current (ongoing).
- Establish a process to publicize student non-curriculum engagement opportunities (ongoing).
1. Actively recruit faculty from diverse backgrounds to better represent the diversity of experiences and interests of the student body, as well as to better advance the research and knowledge goals presented in this document.
- Department Hiring Committees (DHCs) will consider EDI issues consistent with TMU HR and Collective Agreement requirements for any new RFA hires. In particular DHCs will focus on attracting as wide a range of applicants as possible (long term - during any hiring process).
- Contract Lecturer hiring process will consider EDI issues consistent with TMU HR and Collective Agreement requirements to increase the diversity of the instructors teaching in the department (annually).
- The department will engage the university administration to lobby for hiring practices that allow greater diversity hiring (ongoing).
- The department will work with admissions teams to identify and target underrepresented groups among DAS students.
- The department with the EDI Task Force will look for opportunities to reach out to under-represented groups in the community to raise awareness of architectural science as a career opportunity (ongoing).
- The department administration will focus on developing additional scholarships/awards designed to address structural barriers faced by under-represented groups (ongoing).
2. Expand on work faculty are undertaking to bring architectural science education to under-served highschools and communities.
- The Associate Chair, Experiential Learning and Co-operative Education will look for additional ways to offer more summer school and focussed camps and more places for underprivileged groups (Long term).
3. Identify and reach out to appropriate community and advocacy groups and develop relevant student activities and events for engagement in and outside of the classroom.
- The EDI Task Force and student groups will initiate closer ties with local advocacy groups and organize events/activities in association with these groups (short term).
4. Explore opportunities for graduate Collaborative Projects that engage with underrepresented communities and non-Western pedagogy.
- Graduate Program Councils will identify appropriate groups and Associate Chairs of graduate programs will try to establish at least one such collaboration annually (short term).
5. Identify funding that will allow expanding outreach programs.
- Task Force to consider and apply for alternative finding sources-both internal and external to TMU (medium term).
1. Mandatory training for faculty, staff and students in partnership with the Dean’s office, HR and ECI every academic year, on a variety of topics.
- Department administration to establish regular sessions for students and faculty/instructor/staff training (short term).
2. Un/learning opportunities, including anti-racism, reconciliation and climate justice, for all the DAS community every semester.
- DAS lecture series to include regular events with a focus on EDI (ongoing).
- Paul H. Cocker gallery to work with EDI Task Force to include an annual event with an EDI focus (short term).
3. Department specific mental health and well being workshops for students.
- DAS student groups to establish appropriate events (ongoing).
- DAS student groups to consider mental health in the existing mentorship programs that operate within DAS (short term).
4. Establish processes for broader participation of the student body in faculty hiring processes as well as research opportunities and design competitions.
- The DHC will encourage students to attend presentations by candidates for new hires and facilitate discussion/Q&A sessions and other interactions between students and candidates (long term -when next hiring).
5. Integrate EDI Task Force mandates into existing DAS programming, including the lecture series and exhibitions.
- Allocate space for two scholars/practitioners from equity seeking groups to lecture or curate an exhibition annually.
- DAS lecture series to include regular events with a focus on EDI (ongoing).
- Paul H. Cocker gallery to work with EDI Task Force to include an annual event with an EDI focus (short term).
1. Create paths for student involvement in committees through a transparent process.
- ACU to develop a process that allows all students an opportunity to engage if they wish (short term).
2. Create networking and mentorship opportunities for BIPOC, queer and disabled students with industry professions and alumni.
- DAS student groups and Co-op Faculty Advisor to establish appropriate events (short term).
3. Investigate opportunities to bring more international and domestic visiting researchers and create workshops on a variety of topical issues.
- DAS lecture series to include regular events with a focus on EDI with dedicated funding (ongoing).
- Research teams are encouraged to develop EDI plans and work with TMU International to identify and invite external researchers to engage with the DAS community (ongoing).
4. Whenever possible initiate awards criteria to include a wider range of qualifications that include factors such community engagement, EDI leadership, etc, to broaden the focus of awards not just using identity criteria.
- FEAS Advancement team to look for more diversity in future awards (medium term).
5. Profile faculty, students and alumni from equity seeking groups who are working on advancing EDI principles within their research, practice and community work.
- DAS communications staff will identify opportunities to highlightappropriate individuals on the DAS website and social media (short term)