This message was originally sent to employees by Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor.
Preparations for the new academic term and the changes from the ongoing public health crisis have been front of mind for all of us in recent weeks. Even with these pressures, our work to address systemic, anti-Black, anti-Indigenous and other forms of racism is still very much top of mind and is ongoing.
Today, we have launched a webpage to help you stay up-to-date on the commitments we’ve made to address systemic racism as well as the evolution and progress of our work.
In June, I announced the development of the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART). Since then, I have been genuinely moved by the many stories and experiences shared by our BIPOC faculty, students and staff. Many have graciously donated their time and insights to help not only inform our action, but to help guide our next steps. We have taken this feedback to heart and have started to summarize some key themes of what we’ve heard on the site.
We will update the site regularly as we learn and validate new insights from our ongoing conversations with our campus communities. We will continue to take concrete and tangible actions that are guided, informed, and shaped by a collaborative of individuals from our communities. An important part of our effort is to facilitate this ongoing collaboration.
Once you have had a chance to browse the site, if you’d like to lend your voice, share your experience or provide an opinion on our actions moving forward, I welcome feedback from all members of our community.
I consider change and progress trademarks of our identity here at Waterloo. The voices I have heard so far reinforce my resolve to push for change, to see barriers removed and for us to create a more supportive environment where everyone belongs.