In 2021, the University launched the Black Excellence Faculty Cluster Hiring initiative, resulting in 15 Black faculty members joining academic departments across campus. To support their onboarding and professional development, the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDI-R) developed the Black Excellence Orientation Series that included a series of sessions, integrated with other areas of the university. New Black faculty members were introduced to a wide range of supports and resources available to foster their success. The program also provided new faculty members with the opportunity to build community and strengthen connections.
To ensure ongoing accessibility of this content, the Office of EDI-R is turning the Orientation Series into an online resource to support Black and Racialized postdoc scholars and faculty members at any stage of their journey. The resource will be made available on the EDI-R site in April 2025.
This initiative was developed in collaboration with key campus partners, whose contributions helped shape its content and impact. Partners include the Office of the President; the Office of the Provost; the Office of the Vice President, Research and International; the Teaching Assessment Process Office in the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic; the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo; the Alliance from Athletics & Recreation; the Library, the Black Collective; and the Faculty of Arts.