University of Toronto Mississauga
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity

The University of Toronto draws on the knowledge of our tri-campus community working groups, committees, and task forces to better understand and respond to the needs of campus communities experiencing racism and/ or discrimination. Made up of students, staff, faculty, and librarians, these groups review existing University processes and practices and provide actionable recommendations to the President, the Vice-President and Provost, and the Vice-President, PSEC.

Acting Vice-President Heather Boon presented the 2022 Making an Impact: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Report (EDI Report) to Governing Council’s University Affairs Board on May 31, 2023. The document covers activities over a 12-month period from January to December 2022.

“The Report aims to answer several questions: What are we doing, locally and at an institutional level, to ensure that prospective members of our community can see themselves learning and working here? How are we affirming diverse lived experiences and identities so that our community members wish to stay and contribute, and are proud of their U of T affiliation? How are we preparing members of our community to thrive beyond the University and to go forward into the world with respect and compassion for others? How are we leading EDI work in the postsecondary sector?”

For this report, our call for Report submissions also invited faculty, staff, and librarians to share what “belonging” means within the context of their work. Our community’s responses spoke volumes to us. They emphasized that belonging is an impermanent state, and that it requires considerable institutional and collective responsibility to support. With these learnings in mind, our 2022 Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Report chronicles a “lifecycle” of interactions that impact experiences of belonging for individuals before, during, and after they engage with the University.

Some key areas in which our 2022 data of substantive responses to the Employment Equity Survey highlights changes in our communities of faculty, librarians, staff, and students:

» Across the tri-campus, we observed a continued increase across the total U of T community of faculty members, librarians, and staff who self-identified as Racialized or Persons of Colour [from 33.8% (n=2809) in 2021 to 36.5% (n=3,177) in 2022], 2SLGBQ+ [from 10.4% (n=837) in 2021 to 11.0% (n=935) in 2022], and Persons with Disabilities [from 8.9% (n=738) in 2021 to 9.3% (n=798) in 2022].

» Within the faculty community, we observed an increase in the percentage of new hires who self-identified as Women [from 51.2% (n=84) in 2021 to 54.8% (n=68) in 2022], 2SLGBQ+ [from 15.0% (n=23) in 2021 to 17.7% (n=20) in 2022], and Persons with Disabilities [from 5.8% (n=9) in 2021 to 12.2% (n=14) in 2022].

» For faculty members promoted to professor or professor, teaching stream, there was an increase in the percentage who self-identified as Racialized or Persons of Colour [from 25.5% (n=12) in 2021 to 28.1% (n=16) in 2022], Women [from 60.9% (n=28) in 2021 to 66.7% (n=38) in 2022], 2SLGBQ+ [from less than 5 in 2021 to 14.8% (n=8) in 2022], and Persons with Disabilities [from less than 5 in 2021 to 8.8% (n=5) in 2022].

» Within the librarian community, we observed an increase of new hires who self-identified as Racialized or Persons of Colour [from less than 5 in 2021 to 60.0% (n=6) in 2022] and in the number of promotions for librarians who self-identified as Men [from less than 5 in 2021 to 53.8% (n=7) in 2022].

» We observed noteworthy increases for staff new hires who self-identified as Racialized or Persons of Colour [from 49.1% (n=339) in 2021 to 54.7% (n=451) in 2022], 2SLGBQ+ [from 15.0% (n=98) in 2021 to 17.6% (n=84) in 2022], and Persons with Disabilities [from 9.1% (n=62) in 2021 to 11.8% (n=94) in 2022].

» The rates of promotions increased for staff who self-identified as Indigenous or Aboriginal People of North America [from less than 5 in 2021 to 0.8% (n=6) in 2022], Racialized or Persons of Colour [from 40.5% (n=244) in 2021 to 46.2% (n=331) in 2022], and 2SLGBQ+ [from 9.5% (n=55) in 2021 to 12.0% (n=84) in 2022].



“Increasing Access, attracting talent”

The university is working to break down barriers and increase access to enable our community members—both current and prospective—to see a place for themselves at U of T. This work involves implementing a range of programs and processes, from community outreach to inclusive hiring.

Dr. Ann Lopez, Provostial Advisor on Access Programs, has spent the past six years developing pathways to U of T that welcome students from underrepresented communities.

Currently, the University offers more than 100 access and outreach programs across the tricampus. Lopez says these initiatives benefit learners, their families, and their communities and have led to greater diversity in fields such as teacher education, medicine, engineering, and architecture.


“Supporting Inclusive Workplaces”

University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) are intentionally working to diversify their staff, with a focus on increasing representation among Black and Indigenous employees. Launched in 2022, the Experience UTL program aims to introduce Black, Indigenous, and racialized youth to career possibilities in academic libraries. Delivered in partnership with the Toronto District School Board, the program provided two Black high school students with paid work experiences and mentorship at three different libraries

Additionally, library supervisors formed a Student Hiring Community of Practice to examine student hiring practices with an EDI lens, review and revise hiring documents, and reflect on how to build an inclusive workplace culture that encourages retention.


“Creating Environments for everyone”

Recognizing that parents and caregivers often struggle to find private, comfortable spaces to breast/chest-feed or pump, UTM’s EDIO and the Family Care Office introduced U of T’s first Mamava lactation pod. This 50-square-foot, wheelchair- and strolleraccessible pod is located on the main floor of the Communications, Culture, and Technology Building at the Mississauga campus.


Institutional Commitments:

In 2021, the University accepted the recommendations of the Anti-Black Racism Task Force Report and the Antisemitism Working Group Report in their entirety and committed to taking action. The University has worked to deliver on these institutional commitments throughout 2022 while continuing to address the Calls to Action from Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin.

Key Highlights: Responding to the Anti-Black Racism Task Force Report

- Governing Council Election Guidelines now include EDI considerations.
- Senior divisional equity, diversity, and inclusion leaders have been hired in the following areas: Faculty of Architecture, Rotman, Faculty of Law, School of Continuing Studies, Faculty of Arts and Science, iSchool, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI), Faculty of Law, and School of Continuing Studies. Recruitment for senior divisional equity leads is ongoing in other areas.
- The Black Research Network receives ongoing funding from the Provostial budget for operational and administrative costs.
- The new Access Strategy & Partnerships Office will provide research, planning, and funding support to divisions in the development and expansion of programming for students and communities underrepresented at U of T.
- The Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture’s Diversity in Recruitment Toolkit includes best practices in recruitment and selection and is available to People Managers in the HR Service Centre.


Key Highlights: Responding to the Antisemitism Working Group Report

- The Institutional Equity Office (IEO) has clearly defined its mandate and scope to explicitly include antisemitism.
- The Provost’s Office launched Social Media Resources and Supports for Faculty Members and Librarians.
- Clearer language on accommodations is now reflected in the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture’s Inclusive Employer Guides, which provide our community with information about observances.
- The Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture reinforced our duty to accommodate in the annual supporting an inclusive and welcoming community message to all employees.
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine hosted an evening of reflection in September 2022 at which the Dean formally apologized, alongside a group of CEOs from our affiliated hospitals, for its historical practice of imposing quotas on the number of Jewish medical students and trainees.


Indigenous Initiatives 2022 Annual Progress Report:

Indigenous Spaces- During the fall, the University of Toronto Mississauga hosted a Student Meet and Greet and a Tipi raising event, which allowed students and community members to take part in the traditional practice that also contributes to the efforts made by UTM to create Indigenous spaces on campus.

The UTM Office of Indigenous Initiatives worked closely with the Facilities, Management, and Planning team on campus to open the UTM Indigenous Gathering Space. Located on the sixth floor of the Maanjiwe nendamowinan building, the Indigenous Gathering Space represents the UTM Indigen ous Centre – a space where Indigenous students, staff, and faculty have access to a culturally safe environment.


Indigenous Faculty and Staff- The recruitment and hiring of Indigenous faculty and staff are fundamental to the ongoing Indigenizing of the institution, increasing Indigenous presence on campus, and fostering culturally safe environments where students and staff are able to flourish.

Educational Developer: Indigenous Pedagogies & Decolonization, UTM - This year UTM introduced the new role of Educational Developer: Indigenous Pedagogies & Decolonization – a position created to support and promote the creation and integration of Indigenous curriculum while advancing decolonial practices at UTM.

Indigenous Curriculum- The University of Toronto continues to create space for and integrate Indigenous curriculum, epistemologies, and pedagogies across all three campuses.

Indigenous Students and Indigenous Co-Curricular Education- The University of Toronto continues to work towards Indigenous recruitment and the creation of an environment where current and future Indigenous students can thrive.

Orange Shirt Day/National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Tri-Campus The University of Toronto organized various events and initiatives across all three campuses in recognition of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Online at: https://people.utoronto.ca/about/reports/