Mandate
The Lassonde School of Engineering strives to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive community where students, faculty and staff feel welcome and values, and can thrive in their various endeavours. Achieving this requires intentional and systemic action. This means creating policies, procedures, programs, events, and other interventions that work to eliminate barriers, and to establish and sustain the conditions that enable everyone to fully participate in campus life. As a place of research, teaching and learning, the full and equal participation of the widest diversity of people is crucial for excellence in creating and sharing knowledge. Our own work, research, teaching, learning and creative activity are all enriched when we interact with a broad range of people with diverse experiences and perspectives. We serve society and ourselves when we create a university that respects everyone’s human rights and promotes and upholds diversity, equity and inclusion.
We know from an increasing body of research that the barriers of discriminatory beliefs, attitudes, structures and systems found in the broader society also exist in universities. Many universities across Canada are taking active steps to address these barriers to learning and working on their campuses. Lassonde is undertaking a long-term, multifaceted approach, in which this sub-committee will play an important part.
Meeting Dates 2022-23
EDI Meetings typically take place on the third Friday of the month from 9.00am – 10.30am:
- Friday, October 21, 2022
- Friday, November 18, 2022
- Friday, December 16, 2022
- Friday, January 20, 2023
- Friday, February 17, 2023
- Friday, March 17, 202
- Friday, April 21, 2023
- Friday, May 19, 2023
- Friday, June 16, 2023
To add these dates to your calendar, click here.
Full Terms of Reference
The Lassonde School of Engineering strives to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive community where students, faculty and staff feel welcome and values, and can thrive in their various endeavours. Achieving this requires intentional and systemic action. This means creating policies, procedures, programs, events, and other interventions that work to eliminate barriers, and to establish and sustain the conditions that enable everyone to fully participate in campus life. As a place of research, teaching and learning, the full and equal participation of the widest diversity of people is crucial for excellence in creating and sharing knowledge. Our own work, research, teaching, learning and creative activity are all enriched when we interact with a broad range of people with diverse experiences and perspectives. We serve society and ourselves when we create a university that respects everyone’s human rights and promotes and upholds diversity, equity and inclusion.
We know from an increasing body of research that the barriers of discriminatory beliefs, attitudes, structures and systems found in the broader society also exist in universities. Many universities across Canada are taking active steps to address these barriers to learning and working on their campuses. Lassonde is undertaking a long-term, multifaceted approach, in which this sub-committee will play an important part.
We know from an increasing body of research that the barriers of discriminatory beliefs, attitudes, structures and systems found in the broader society also exist in universities. Many universities across Canada are taking active steps to address these barriers to learning and working on their campuses. Lassonde is undertaking a long-term, multifaceted approach, in which this sub-committee will play an important part.
2.1. To conduct initially, and to maintain on an annual basis, an up-to-date inventory of current diversity, equity, and inclusion related policies, plans and initiatives throughout the School and, to the extent practicable, across the institution and at comparator institutions and Schools of Engineering & Science.
2.1.1. To undertake data collection and surveys to ensure the inventory is maintained
2.1.2. To identify gaps between stated institutional commitments and benchmarks, such as the Universities Canada Inclusive Excellence Principles.
2.1.3. To make recommendations to the Executive Committee for action based on the analysis above.
2.2. To serve for Executive as Council’s liaison with other bodies of the University.
2.3. To report twice-annually to Council on the committee’s activities and to the Dean’s Advisory Council on Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity.
2.4. To oversee and to ensure that other Council committees act and report on aspects of their mandates that relate to equity.
2.5. To review, recommend and advise on diversity, equity, and inclusion-related policies, programs, operations, practices, procedures, events, and other interventions developed within Faculty Council and its committees and within the School.
2.1.1. To undertake data collection and surveys to ensure the inventory is maintained
2.1.2. To identify gaps between stated institutional commitments and benchmarks, such as the Universities Canada Inclusive Excellence Principles.
2.1.3. To make recommendations to the Executive Committee for action based on the analysis above.
2.2. To serve for Executive as Council’s liaison with other bodies of the University.
2.3. To report twice-annually to Council on the committee’s activities and to the Dean’s Advisory Council on Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity.
2.4. To oversee and to ensure that other Council committees act and report on aspects of their mandates that relate to equity.
2.5. To review, recommend and advise on diversity, equity, and inclusion-related policies, programs, operations, practices, procedures, events, and other interventions developed within Faculty Council and its committees and within the School.
The Lassonde School of Engineering is committed to creating a community where students, faculty and staff feel welcomed and valued, and a place and space for people to thrive in their various endeavours. This means creating policies, procedures, programs, events, and other interventions that work to eliminate barriers, and to establish and sustain the conditions that enable everyone to fully participate in our community. To reach this goal, the committee will support Lassonde’s learning journey to:
• Create a diverse, inclusive integrated teaching, learning and research environment.
• Empower diverse internal and external communities to organically grow by optimizing existing spaces and creating new ones with a culturally inclusive lens.
• Prioritize equitable outcomes by adopting a values-driven integrated approach to research, teaching & learning and operations.
• Cultivate an inclusive interdisciplinary community that brings the diverse perspectives required to envision and devise engineering and science solutions that address environmental, economic and social problems.
• Create a diverse, inclusive integrated teaching, learning and research environment.
• Empower diverse internal and external communities to organically grow by optimizing existing spaces and creating new ones with a culturally inclusive lens.
• Prioritize equitable outcomes by adopting a values-driven integrated approach to research, teaching & learning and operations.
• Cultivate an inclusive interdisciplinary community that brings the diverse perspectives required to envision and devise engineering and science solutions that address environmental, economic and social problems.
4.1 Membership
The membership of EDI Sub-committee shall be as follows:
4.2. Period of Appointments
Ex-Officio Members:
• Ex Officio members shall hold their position for the duration of their appointment in that role.
Faculty Members:
• Elected members shall hold their position for their specified term, or until their resignation, whichever is earlier. The specified term for faculty members shall be two-years; noting that initial terms may be for a lesser period to enable turnover of members to be staggered.
Staff:
• Staff members elected and/or appointed as members shall typically serve for two-years, renewable.
Students:
• The undergraduate and graduate students elected and/or appointed as members will serve for one year, renewable.
Staggered Committee Membership Terms:
• To avoid complete turnover of the committee membership at one time, and to maintain continuity in the running of the committee, the committee will aim for a staggered-term membership whereby only 50% of the committee membership is to be turned over each year, preventing more than one-half of the terms from expiring at the same time.
4.3. Elections/Appointments
Chair:
• The Chair of the Committee is selected by the voting members of the Committee for a two-year term with the understanding that the Vice-Chair will succeed the Chair
Vice-Chair:
• The Vice-Chair of the Committee is selected by the voting members of the Committee for a two-year term
Students:
• Student vacancies are filled via a centralized process which will be managed by the Executive Committee. The election process is conducted by the respective student bodies of the Lassonde undergraduate student government and Lassonde graduate student associations.
Faculty Members:
• Faculty members at large shall be elected through the process managed by the Executive Committee of Council and will include a call for nominees to committees.
• Should an elected member resign from the committee, a by-election shall be held to fill the vacancy.
Staff:
• Staff members shall be elected through the process managed by the Executive Committee of Council and will include a call for nominees to committees.
EDI Champion Role:
• The committee shall select a member, other than the Chair, to take on the additional role of being the committee’s EDI Champion, beyond their normal membership tasks (see EDI Champion Role document).
4.4. Power to Co-opt
• The Chair may, at their discretion, appoint as a member of the Committee (co-opt) up to two additional members for specific periods to bring specific skills to the Committee.
4.5. Representation by Proxy
• Provisions have been made for elected and ex officio members to designate a substitute.
4.6. Resignations/Dismissal of Members
• Should an elected member resign from the committee, the Chair will endeavour to find a replacement. In the event a replacement cannot be found, a call will go out from the Executive Committee to solicit a replacement from Faculty Council.
• Any member may be dismissed for any of the following reasons: 1) missing three (3) consecutive meetings (except in cases of illness or other weighty grounds); and/or 2) for other cause for which the committee finds to be just.
The membership of EDI Sub-committee shall be as follows:
| Title | # of Members | # of Votes |
| Ex-Officio Membership | – | – |
| Chair of Council, or the Chair’s Designate | 1 | 1 |
| Secretary of Council, or the Secretary’s Designate (non-voting) | 1 | 0 |
| Membership | – | – |
| Five Faculty Members at Large, one of whom is also appointed to the Dean’s EDI Advisory Council | 5 | 5 |
| Two staff members | 2 | 2 |
| Members appointed via power to co-opt (section 4.4) (non-voting) | 2 | 0 |
| Two Students (one undergraduate and one graduate) | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 12-13 | 9 |
4.2. Period of Appointments
Ex-Officio Members:
• Ex Officio members shall hold their position for the duration of their appointment in that role.
Faculty Members:
• Elected members shall hold their position for their specified term, or until their resignation, whichever is earlier. The specified term for faculty members shall be two-years; noting that initial terms may be for a lesser period to enable turnover of members to be staggered.
Staff:
• Staff members elected and/or appointed as members shall typically serve for two-years, renewable.
Students:
• The undergraduate and graduate students elected and/or appointed as members will serve for one year, renewable.
Staggered Committee Membership Terms:
• To avoid complete turnover of the committee membership at one time, and to maintain continuity in the running of the committee, the committee will aim for a staggered-term membership whereby only 50% of the committee membership is to be turned over each year, preventing more than one-half of the terms from expiring at the same time.
4.3. Elections/Appointments
Chair:
• The Chair of the Committee is selected by the voting members of the Committee for a two-year term with the understanding that the Vice-Chair will succeed the Chair
Vice-Chair:
• The Vice-Chair of the Committee is selected by the voting members of the Committee for a two-year term
Students:
• Student vacancies are filled via a centralized process which will be managed by the Executive Committee. The election process is conducted by the respective student bodies of the Lassonde undergraduate student government and Lassonde graduate student associations.
Faculty Members:
• Faculty members at large shall be elected through the process managed by the Executive Committee of Council and will include a call for nominees to committees.
• Should an elected member resign from the committee, a by-election shall be held to fill the vacancy.
Staff:
• Staff members shall be elected through the process managed by the Executive Committee of Council and will include a call for nominees to committees.
EDI Champion Role:
• The committee shall select a member, other than the Chair, to take on the additional role of being the committee’s EDI Champion, beyond their normal membership tasks (see EDI Champion Role document).
4.4. Power to Co-opt
• The Chair may, at their discretion, appoint as a member of the Committee (co-opt) up to two additional members for specific periods to bring specific skills to the Committee.
4.5. Representation by Proxy
• Provisions have been made for elected and ex officio members to designate a substitute.
4.6. Resignations/Dismissal of Members
• Should an elected member resign from the committee, the Chair will endeavour to find a replacement. In the event a replacement cannot be found, a call will go out from the Executive Committee to solicit a replacement from Faculty Council.
• Any member may be dismissed for any of the following reasons: 1) missing three (3) consecutive meetings (except in cases of illness or other weighty grounds); and/or 2) for other cause for which the committee finds to be just.
5.1. Meetings and Protocols
• Meetings are open to members of the Lassonde community, subject to the availability of space
• When the committee considers matters relating to specific individuals or to other matters where confidentiality must be observed, the committee may, in the notice for a meeting, declare part of a meeting to be closed or in camera.
• When the committee meets in camera, only committee members may be present.
• The Lassonde Faculty Council has adopted “York University Rules of Senate” to guide and inform its governance structure and operations.
• This committee shall make its decisions based on a simple majority of those members present and voting at a duly constituted meeting
• Committee members will notify the Chair/Secretary if they will be absent from a meeting.
5.2. Chair & Vice-Chair
• The Chair of the Equity Sub-Committee is responsible for providing leadership to the committee in pursuit of its mandate. The Chair presides at all committee meetings, acts as the official spokesperson for the committee, and ensures that the committee operates in conformity with the rules enacted by Faculty Council and Senate.
• In the case of the absence or illness of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, the committee may appoint one of the members of the committee to act as Chair pro tempore and for such period the member so appointed shall act as, and have all the powers of, the Chair.
5.3. Quorum
• Per Senate rules, the quorum shall consist of a majority of voting members.
5.4. Timing and Frequency of Meetings
• The Equity Sub-Committee shall meet at least twice per academic term, typically one week before the Executive Meeting.
• The committee may conduct additional meetings as warranted by committee business.
• Equity meetings take place on TBD, typically in 203 Bergeron.
5.5. Standing Orders
• The conduct of the business of the meeting shall be subject to the “York University Rules of Senate”
5.6. Agenda, Administration, and Minutes
• The administration of the committee shall be taken up by the Secretary to the Committee.
• All records of the meetings, including the minutes, shall be retained in accordance with the Common
Records Schedule (CRS) for Faculty Councils (ADG15) and Faculty Council Committees (ADG17)
under York University’s Information, Privacy and Copyright Office.
• The Secretary to the Committee shall be responsible for ensuring correspondence and decisions
made by the Committee are available to relevant people or bodies, including the membership of
sub-committees and secretaries of relevant Faculty Councils.
5.7. Voting
• All members of the committee are voting members unless specifically indicated otherwise. Ex-officio and elected/appointed members have the same voting rights. Votes must be cast in person.
• Votes may be cast in person or by e-vote
o Pursuant to the discretion of the Chair, members may be permitted to vote by means of an electronic communication (e-vote) which enables the votes to be gathered in a manner that permits their subsequent verification
• Meetings are open to members of the Lassonde community, subject to the availability of space
• When the committee considers matters relating to specific individuals or to other matters where confidentiality must be observed, the committee may, in the notice for a meeting, declare part of a meeting to be closed or in camera.
• When the committee meets in camera, only committee members may be present.
• The Lassonde Faculty Council has adopted “York University Rules of Senate” to guide and inform its governance structure and operations.
• This committee shall make its decisions based on a simple majority of those members present and voting at a duly constituted meeting
• Committee members will notify the Chair/Secretary if they will be absent from a meeting.
5.2. Chair & Vice-Chair
• The Chair of the Equity Sub-Committee is responsible for providing leadership to the committee in pursuit of its mandate. The Chair presides at all committee meetings, acts as the official spokesperson for the committee, and ensures that the committee operates in conformity with the rules enacted by Faculty Council and Senate.
• In the case of the absence or illness of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, the committee may appoint one of the members of the committee to act as Chair pro tempore and for such period the member so appointed shall act as, and have all the powers of, the Chair.
5.3. Quorum
• Per Senate rules, the quorum shall consist of a majority of voting members.
5.4. Timing and Frequency of Meetings
• The Equity Sub-Committee shall meet at least twice per academic term, typically one week before the Executive Meeting.
• The committee may conduct additional meetings as warranted by committee business.
• Equity meetings take place on TBD, typically in 203 Bergeron.
5.5. Standing Orders
• The conduct of the business of the meeting shall be subject to the “York University Rules of Senate”
5.6. Agenda, Administration, and Minutes
• The administration of the committee shall be taken up by the Secretary to the Committee.
• All records of the meetings, including the minutes, shall be retained in accordance with the Common
Records Schedule (CRS) for Faculty Councils (ADG15) and Faculty Council Committees (ADG17)
under York University’s Information, Privacy and Copyright Office.
• The Secretary to the Committee shall be responsible for ensuring correspondence and decisions
made by the Committee are available to relevant people or bodies, including the membership of
sub-committees and secretaries of relevant Faculty Councils.
5.7. Voting
• All members of the committee are voting members unless specifically indicated otherwise. Ex-officio and elected/appointed members have the same voting rights. Votes must be cast in person.
• Votes may be cast in person or by e-vote
o Pursuant to the discretion of the Chair, members may be permitted to vote by means of an electronic communication (e-vote) which enables the votes to be gathered in a manner that permits their subsequent verification
The Sub-Committee’s reports to Faculty Council Executive will be a standing item on the agenda of Executive Committee, and the sub-committee is required to inform Executive of its activities on a regular basis. The subcommittee will file its twice-annual reports after consulting with other Council committees.
Version Number: Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity Sub-Committee V.3.0
Approved By: Faculty Council
Date: October 2022
Approved By: Faculty Council
Date: October 2022
*Click here for the PDF version
2022-23 Committee Members
Dean
Chair of Council
Faculty Member Rep
Faculty Member Rep
Faculty Member Rep
Faculty Member Rep
Faculty Member Rep, Chair
Staff Member
Staff Member
Secretary to Committee
Graduate Student
Undergrad Student
