Working Groups and Committees

The Student Working Group, which includes community members whose portfolios focus on the student experience, is responsible for implementing six of the 14 recommendations outlined in the  (PDF file) Anti-Black Racism Campus Climate Review Report.

The group works with the Black Student Advisory Committee, whose members are drawn from various university Black student groups (both formal and informal), student unions (TMSU, CESAR and RGSU), student societies and also individuals to advocate for Black students and advise the three executive co-chairs. 

The Black Student Advisory Committee membership is separate from the membership of the Student Working Group. Membership on the advisory group is through competition. Tenure on the advisory group is renewed annually so that students can have the opportunity to participate in the transformation of the university. Students are compensated for their time and effort.

The Student Working Group and the Black Student Advisory Committee are intent on centering the experience of Black students and promote Black student success and overall well being. Working with the Vice-President, Equity, and Community Inclusion & Vice-Provost, Students, the Student working group will focus their efforts on a number of key priority areas aligned to student achievement and overall success: the identification and dismantling of systemic barriers; accessibility; student recruitment and retention issues; mental health and wellbeing; curriculum development and pedagogical strategies for inclusive classrooms; community belonging and safety; and Black student-centered programming, among other priorities.

The Faculty Working Group is responsible for implementing four of the 14 recommendations outlined in the  (PDF file) Anti-Black Racism Campus Climate Review Report and also for student recommendation #3. The group includes members of the university community whose work and experience centre the success and wellbeing of faculty.

The Faculty Working Group thinks holistically about the employee experience and about what programs, policies, and processes need to be created or adapted to ensure a diverse and inclusive work environment that fosters Black excellence in scholarship. Working with the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, and Vice-Provost, Faculty Affairs, the group is working to promote and embed Black studies and scholarship across the university. This will be achieved by increasing the representation of Black-identified faculty across all disciplines, enhancing curricula and pedagogy, research and scholarship that centers and amplifies Black and Afro-centric world worldviews, and creating systems of collegial support that mentors Black faculty.

Addressing systemic issues requires the Faculty Working Group to be systematic about how it approaches implementing the report recommendations: how the university recruits, onboards, supports performance; professional development courses offered to support growth; the benefits and programs provided to promote and enhance Black scholarship and their well-being; and how and why employees leave.

Consisting of staff members in critical operational areas across the university, the Staff Working Group is responsible for implementing three of the 14 recommendations outlined in the  (PDF file) Anti-Black Racism Campus Climate Review Report. 

In keeping with the report’s recommendations, the Staff Working Group is focusing its efforts on increasing access and easing the burden on Black staff across areas. Working with Human Resources, the Staff Working Group’s priorities include fostering an employee-centric process and experience rooted in equity, diversity, and inclusion; employee engagement and relationship building; talent acquisition and talent management; transformational human resource principles; and other areas.