Provost's Advisory Committee on Equity

Terms of Reference

All members of the University of Waterloo community have the right to an environment of respect and fairness, while contributing to the advancement of equity on campus. 

This committee is advisory to the Vice President, Academic & Provost. The mandate of the committee is to provide a forum for consultation on equity.  The Committee advises on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility for Success (IDEAS) at University of Waterloo.

Members

Director of Equity, Chair
Associate Provost, Human Resources
Associate Provost, Students
Dean/Associate Dean
Director of Organizational and Human Development
Director of Conflict Management and Human Rights
Director of Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre
Director of Police Services

A representative from each of the following:

            Faculty Association

            Staff Association

            CUPE

            Federation of Students

            Graduate Student Association

AFIW

Any group appointing representatives will be encouraged to assign members of equity-seeking groups such as women, Aboriginal peoples, people of colour, gay, lesbian or transgendered persons. Committee membership is normally term limited to a one year period and can be renewed twice. 

Resource persons can be invited to attend meetings to provide information to the committee. Resource persons can attend one or more meetings and do not have voting privileges.

Function and Procedures

The mandate of the committee is to provide a forum for consultation on equity at the University of Waterloo.  The committee advises on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility for Success (IDEAS) at University of Waterloo. Therefore, the committee members will endeavour to:

  • Discuss IDEAS;
  • Monitor and advise on the campus climate for IDEAS;
  • Recommend measures to promote IDEAS;
  • Advise on policies relating to IDEAS;
  • Receive information prepared by working groups;
  • Monitor progress on implementation of initiatives related to IDEAS; and
  • Be a champion for IDEAS.

Working Groups

Working groups are convened to provide advice on specific equity issues and need to be of a workable size. A working group exists solely to provide advice on action planning of IDEAS and may be comprised of committee members, non-members or both.  The chair of the committee is an Ex Officio member of the working groups. The working groups report regularly to the chair of the committee.

Meetings

PACE will meet at least three times a year. Working groups will meet as often as needed.

Reporting

The chair will report on PACE’s activities to the Vice President, Academic & Provost and the Executive Council annually.  An executive summary of the annual report will be posted on the Equity Office’s website.

Decision-making

The committee’s recommendations to the provost need to be endorsed by a majority of committee members (Quorum TBD and needs to include a student representative). Similarly, recommendations made by the working group to the committee will need to be endorsed by the majority of working group members (Quorum TBD). The committee members have voting privileges at committee meetings and working group members have voting privileges at working group meetings.

Review of Procedures

These procedures will be reviewed every five years or earlier if requested to do so by the Vice-President, Academic & Provost.

Resources

The administrative assistant of the Equity Office is the non-voting secretary of the committee.