Date: January 17, 2025
From: Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor
Subject: Presidential Advisory Committee on Freedom of Expression and Inclusive Engagement
We are pleased to announce the membership of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Freedom of Expression and Inclusive Engagement. The Advisory Committee will serve as a standing advisory body, composed of faculty, staff, and students with relevant expertise to be available to advise the University on free expression matters, including policy revision and development, and the various tasks and responsibilities that have been identified as part of the implementation plan resulting from the report of the Task Force on Freedom of Expression and Inclusive Engagement.
Thank you to everyone who shared expressions of interest in contributing to this important work. We received many submissions from faculty, staff, and students in response to our call for nominations.
After much consideration, we are pleased to confirm the following members:
- Laura Deakin, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Associate Dean of Science (Teaching and Learning)
- Emmett Macfarlane, Associate Professor, Political Science
- Adam Molnar, Assistant Professor, Sociology and Legal Studies
- Sharlee Cranston-Reimer, Senior Manager, Research Equity, Office of Research
- Nick Manning, Associate Vice-President, Communications, University Relations
- Dane Mauer-Vakil, PhD Candidate, School of Public Health Sciences
- Lucia-Maria Ussia, Undergraduate Student, Sociology and Legal Studies, Faculty of Arts
- Christine McWebb, Associate Vice-President, Faculty Planning and Policy (ex-officio)
- Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor, Chair
The committee will be supported by Katherine Thorne, Director, Faculty Relations or delegate.
As outlined in the Terms of Reference, the overall objective of the advisory committee is to help ensure that the University maintains a campus environment for open inquiry and exchange, free expression, and inclusive engagement.
We look forward to working with members of the Advisory Community. To share your ideas, comments, and questions, please write to us at avpfpp@uwaterloo.ca.
Vivek Goel
President and Vice-Chancellor
Office of the President