Anti-Racism

The Faculty of Science is committed to advancing equity for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC). On June 24, 2020, the Faculty of Science held a virtual Anti-Racism Town Hall to listen to the Waterloo Science community share their experiences, ideas and suggestions for future change. The Town Hall was the first of many steps that the Faculty will be taking to address the issues and problems related to racism. If you missed the Town Hall, some of the questions asked are summarized in the FAQ section.

During the Town Hall, Bob Lemieux, Dean of Science, announced the formation of a Science Anti-Racism Taskforce (SART). Being grounded in the experiences of BIPOC in the Faculty of Science, the SART will focus on issues and problems related to racism, and will make recommendations aimed at creating policies and procedures to eliminate racism in all its forms, and foster a culture of equity in the Faculty of Science.

We want to hear from you about your experiences, fears, ideas and hopes and we have created an online anti-racism form for the Science community to start submitting their comments, experiences and suggestions to the SART. Together, we will grow in awareness, identify gaps and commit to change.

We want to do better. This is our opportunity to change.

Science Anti-Racism Taskforce (SART)

Andre Stanberry

Andre Stanberry
School of Optometry and Visions Sciences
(Chair of SART)

Nandita Basu

Nandita Basu
Earth and Environmental Sciences

Blair Bowen

Blair Bowen
Alumni Representative (BSc, '80)
Partner, Fogler Rubinoff LLP

Trevor Charles

Trevor Charles
Biology

Okey Igboeli

Okey Igboeli
Science and Business

Reyen Jones

Reyen Jones
Undergraduate Student

Hadiya Ma

Hadiya Ma
Graduate Student

Kirsten Müller

Kirsten Müller
Assistant VP, GSPA

 
Nardine Nakhla

Nardine Nakhla
School of Pharmacy

Duale Omar

Duale Omar
Undergraduate Student

Joe Sanderson

Joe Sanderson
Physics and Astronomy

Asha Ulusow

Asha Ulusow
Undergraduate Student

Anti-Racism Resources

 
  • If you’re a student, faculty or staff member and you’ve experienced racism and need a space for support, understanding your resources, potential next steps and/or advocacy: connect with the Equity Office at equity@uwaterloo.ca
  • If you’re a student, faculty or staff member and you’ve experienced racism and would like to explore informal mediation, understand your rights, or file a grievance under a Policy 33: connect with Matt Erickson at erickson@uwaterloo.ca
  • If you are experiencing distress, the Campus Wellness team provides councelling services for individuals, as well as resoures for support
  • Here 24/7 is also available in the Waterloo Region, providing support to those in distress: phone 1-844-437-3247
  • The Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Office (HREI) has a variety of resources available:
    • A non-exhuastive list of Anti-Racism resources provided by both the UWaterloo and the Region of Waterloo communities
    • The workshop EQ201 Anti-Racism Workshop on how to engage critically in anti-racism and enact anti-racist practices on campus
    • Guidelines for teaching assistants as well as supervisors and managers encountering harassment and discrimination
  • Racial Advocacy for Inclusion, Solidarity and Equity (RAISE) is a student-led Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) service to address racism and xenophobia on the University of Waterloo campus
  • The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) offers support and advocacy services or can connect you with supports and community resources if required
  • The Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) Equity Committee engages in education and advocacy activities to promote equity on campus

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is racism only being addressed now, and how can we ensure that the current momentum is not diminished in the forthcoming years?

How is the Science Anti-Racism Taskforce different from the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce, and how are they connected?

Will Science Anti-Racism Taskforce student members be compensated?

What percentage of the Faculty and leadership in science are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC)?

Do professors get anti-racism, training before starting at Waterloo?

Will the science anti-racism team recommendations be made public before they are acted on?

How can recommendations can be made to the Taskforce?

How do we ensure that the recommendations being made by the Science Anti-Racism Taskforce are being heard by the university and that we see results?

If I feel I'm being discriminated against, who do I report to and how do I know that reporting won't put my student career in jeopardy?