About

Purpose/Mandate

The Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI) (Decolonization), Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Committee [or (D)EDI Action Committee] is an ongoing and responsive committee made up of students, staff (including sessional instructors), and faculty who are committed to developing an intentional space to:

• create and implement a department-specific Action Plan.
• focus on actionable initiatives to further the department’s (D)EDI Action Plan, UVic’s Equity Action Plan (EAP), UVic’s Indigenous Plan, UVic’s Strategic Plan, Accessibility Plan, the department’s Strategic Goals as they relate to (D)EDI (e.g., program developments, equity-centred design, events, workshops, etc.), and EDID-related recommendations from any external reviews.
• support and advocate for and connect with UVic’s EAP within our department, including the EAP Implementation Toolkit.

The name of the committee places ‘decolonization’ first to acknowledge the need to centre the experiences and knowledges of Indigenous peoples as well as the harm caused by colonialism. ‘Decolonization’ is also placed in brackets to recognize that this term is problematic and may change. Also, we call ourselves an ‘Action Committee’ because the work we do must be beyond discussion and involve action for it to be meaningful or transformative. 

Committee Structure and Members

The committee consists of a maximum of 10 members.

• With the exception of the student representatives, standing committee members are appointed or approved by the Chair of EDCI.
• 2 of these spots are held for student representatives in EDCI programs. If there are open seats on the committee, we may appoint additional interested students. Each year, interested students are invited to express their interest in serving on the committee. From the pool of candidates, 2 names are selected randomly. The term for student committee members is 1 year (with a possibility to continue for a second year). 
• The remaining 8 spots are for EDCI regular and sessional faculty and staff, and, when appropriate, individuals outside of the immediate EDCI community. The term for faculty and staff membership is 2 years, with an option for renewal. 
• The committee will strive for diversity of membership by gender, ethnicity/ place of origin, Indigenous status, and many other aspects of identity. The committee will strive to follow the document “Creating and working well with diverse committees,” Appendix 2 in the Guide to  Faculty and Librarian Recruitment. 
• There will ideally be two Co-Chairs, distributing the work associated with this role and increasing opportunities for collaborative learning. If it is not possible to have a Co-Chair model, there will be a single Chair. 
• When possible, a member of an equity-deserving group will hold one of the Co-Chair positions or the singular Chair position. 
• Regular meetings are held monthly or every other month from September until May. These meetings will be attended by standing committee members, as well as any invited guests. Each year, there may be select meetings where any member of the EDCI community (all students, regular faculty, sessional faculty, and staff) will be welcome to attend and contribute.

Advisory Role 

• The committee reports at least annually to the EDCI Chair and offers regular updates to the Chair, as necessary. 
• The EDCI Chair responds to the report and offers advice. 
• The committee may report regularly at department meetings.

Functioning of the Committee 

• The committee follows its terms of reference as outlined in this document. Currently, the following is pursued:
  • Meeting frequency and locations: Typically, the committee meets every 1 to 2 months from September until May. If possible, meetings are hybrid, enhancing accessibility. 
  • Decision making: Decisions are made through collaborative and consensus-based practices. This might include decisions made over email and other online platforms (with all committee members and other interested members of the EDCI community included in the conversation and a deadline for feedback), decisions made during meetings, and open discussions with committee members and other EDCI community members during meetings and via email or other online platforms. 
  • How the committee seeks diverse input: The committee strives for diverse representation in its memberships. 
  • Ensuring confidentiality: Information that is sensitive in nature remains entirely confidential in the committee. 
• In April of each year, the committee will normally establish an annual work plan identifying their major areas of work and priorities, with the knowledge that new needs may arise. 
• While the purpose of a unit’s diversity, equity, and inclusion committee is not to hear grievances or disclosures, the committee or individuals on the committee may be approached by community members with concerns or disclosures related to discrimination, harassment, or sexualized violence. In these cases, the following will be adhered to:
  • The primary response to concerns is a trauma-informed referral to an appropriate office. Training on providing such referrals is provided by the sexualized violence resource office in EQHR, which all committee members are recommended to pursue. The committee also refers to resources for making referrals and support services found on these sites:
    • EQHR’s website 
    • UVic’s Sexualized Violence webpage. 
    • OSL https://www.uvic.ca/services/studentlife/index.php
    • Ombudsperson https://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/senate/appeals/ombudsperson/index.php
    • Student Health and Wellness https://www.uvic.ca/student-wellness/index.php
  • For any matters related to the above, the committee will inform the EDCI Chair.  

The committee will continue to advance their own learning about equity, diversity, and inclusion topics, including university policies, offices, and resources, about the experiences of diverse populations, and relevant topics such as policies on confidentiality, etc. They will share these learning opportunities with the department.

Photo by Robert Katzki on Unsplash