This approach enabled members of the CC to understand the internal processes required to successfully implement their proposed recommendations, while ensuring that ‘implementers’ also understood the rationale for these recommendations and their significance.
December 2020
By this time the Working Groups had been formed and each consisted of at least five individuals from the CC; a representative of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA); a representative of the Graduate Student Association (GSA); and two or three additional members with the expertise and/or accountability for implementation. Their responsibilities were to generate recommendations for consideration by the Taskforce (see “Mandates and Responsibilities”). Each group’s responsibilities reflect ideas of where the community would like to see activities accelerated.
3 Implementation Teams
Formed by bringing together campus leaders and specialists whose roles and expertise focused on three key areas:
- Black Studies Programming;
- Campus Representation; and
- Race, Culture, and Ethnicity Awareness.
A fourth area – Race-Based Data Strategy – was also identified as crucial to the University’s anti-racism mission. However, this work was already underway through the Equity Data Advisory Group. Rather than form a new team with a similar purpose, PART worked in partnership with the existing group to achieve this objective.
The Taskforce is made up of the chairs of the Working groups as well as representatives of the undergraduate offices, graduate offices, and the secretariat. The initiative was facilitated and supported by the Planning Team made up of the executive designate, an anti-racism special advisor, an anti-racism communication manager, and a team of coordinators. The Taskforce reports to the President of the University and helps advance anti-racism initiatives on campus.
June 2020
In a bid to foster an equitable environment where all faculty, students and staff can learn, grow, and thrive, the University of Waterloo made a public commitment to address systemic racism across its campuses. The President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce (PART) initiative was formed for this reason.
August 2020
Discussions were held with faculty, students, staff, administrative leaders, representatives from campus associations, and with other senior leaders external to the institution to discuss their lived experiences and approaches towards campus inclusion and equity. The University also brought together racialized members of the community, called the Community Collaborative (CC), with an interest in advancing anti-racism efforts. Discussions with this group unveiled necessary actions that were needed to address systemic racism and provided a framework for this initiative. These actions were validated with the University community and grouped under various thematic areas using a dual approach that encompassed calls for immediate action in certain areas and calls for further discovery and consultations in other areas. Implementation Teams were formed to address the former (areas for immediate action) while Working Groups were established to address the latter (areas for further consultation).
5 Working Groups
- Formed to address the following five key areas:
- Code of Conduct and Safety;
- Educational Environment and the Development of Learners;
- Health and Mental Health;
- Professional and Academic Development and Mentorship; and
- Race, Culture, and Ethnicity Awareness.
As the University made a commitment to ensure that the PART initiative is led by Black, Indigenous, and other racialized voices, members of the CC were invited to join the Working Groups and given opportunities to drive initiatives related to their chosen areas of interest or expertise. Chairs for these Working Groups were also selected from the CC. However, to ensure systemic change, alongside these voices, the CC recognized the importance of including non-racialized members of the community, who may be responsible for implementing the approved recommendations, in the Working Groups, allowing for agility in implementation.
