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U of M diversity task force begins work this week
Interviewing students, staff, faculty on ‘obstacles and inequalities’ faced on campus
GILLIAN BROWN, STAFF
Beginning this week, the president’s task force on equity, diversity and inclusion is asking for student perspective on what the U of M can do to address “obstacles and inequalities” that students are facing.
“This is one piece of a larger project,” said Karen Schwartz, faculty relations officer in the office of the vice-provost and vice-president academic.
The task force, established in 2019, has set the goal to investigate what the U of M is currently doing to identify and eliminate obstacles, what is needed to support these principles, what are considered best
practices and what are the next steps to advance the university.
The final report on the task force’s findings is set to be submitted to the president by September 2020 along with its recommendations.
dents, faculty and staff. In these focus groups, students will remain
“We just want to make it as safe a space as possible for people to respond to the questions” — Karen Schwartz, faculty relations officer in the office of the provost and vice-president academic
The discussions will remain private and will be used only for the purpose of the task force’s report.
“We just want to make it as safe a space as possible for people to respond to the questions,” said Schwartz.
on the Fort Garry campus is Feb. 13 in the UMSU Council Chambers from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Any students are welcome to attend.
There will be specific focus groups held for graduate students and international students to discuss more specific challenges.
MANITOBAN
The task force’s current effort is to conduct focus groups for stu-
unidentified while they discuss their perspectives on what the university is currently doing and what it could be doing to improve.
For those who are interested but unable to attend or would rather remain completely anonymous, the same questions used in the focus groups are also online for students, faculty or staff to respond to.
The first focus group for students
The focus groups run on the Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses until late March.
A complete list of dates and times will soon be posted to the task force’s website.
Senate discusses response to provincial mandate letter
Drafted response drew criticism from students who said U of M’s stance not strong enough
“I understand that we cannot always fight back, but this, for me, is a joyless indicator of how disciplines like my own suffer in the current political climate of Manitoba” — Julia Minarik, GSA senator
she said.
“I understand that we cannot always fight back, but this, for me, is a joyless indicator of how disciplines like my own suffer in the current political climate of Manitoba.”
Peter Blunden, a faculty senator from the science faculty, said in the meeting that he was concerned with the provocative tone some of the letter takes — with phrases like “more than simply train students” — and pressed for a more positive approach.
“The statement was drafted in response to a rather utilitarian view of higher education,” he said in an email.
“I don’t disagree with the statement, but I think it could be seen as unnecessarily defensive. I would like to see an acknowledgement that
