University of Victoria
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Non-discrimination statements appear in many areas across campus and on the UVic website. Listed below are some locations:

Policy on Human Rights, Equity and Fairness (GV0200): 4. Policy Statement: “The University promotes a safe, respectful and supportive learning and working environment for all members of the university community. The University fosters an environment characterized by fairness, openness, equity, and respect for the dignity and diversity of its members. The University strives to be a place that is free of discrimination and harassment, injustice and violence. The strength and vibrancy of the University is found in the diverse life experiences, backgrounds and worldviews of all its members.”
https://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/assets/docs/policies/GV0200_1105_.pdf

Discrimination and Harassment Policy (GV0205): Section 18.00 "Discrimination and Harassment are prohibited at the University of Victoria. members of the University Community have the right to work, study and participate in activities at the university in an environment free of Discrimination and Harassment. Eligible WorkSafeBC claimants also have a right to an environment free of workplace bullying or harassment as it is defined by regulations pursuant to the British Columbia Workers' Compensation Act.
https://www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/assets/docs/policies/GV0205_1150_.pdf

The University of Victoria Strategic Framework: 2018-2023 Strategy 1.2 “Embed practices of equity, diversity, accessibility, inclusion and dialogue throughout the university community so that all members feel welcomed, valued and supported to achieve their highest potential.”
https://www.uvic.ca/strategicframework/assets/docs/strategic-framework-2018.pdf

The UVic new Strategic Plan: https://www.uvic.ca/strategic-plan/index.php
One of the four main pillars of this new plan is: People, places and the planet. "From the campus to the global community, we support people’s wellness and ability to thrive, and are addressing sustainability, climate action and the systemic barriers affecting equity, diversity and inclusion in multiple ways."
One of the Primary Principals: Creating a welcoming space. "We will cultivate an environment that is inclusive, equitable and supportive. UVic will be a place where each person feels like they belong."
One of the plans main goals is: Addressing systemic barriers to equity and inclusion and progressively integrating our guiding principles throughout all decisions, processes and outcomes, to transform practices within UVic.

Finally, the revised employment “Equity Statement” provided by the office of Equity and Human Rights, approved in spring of 2018: “Consistent with UVic’s values, we acknowledge with respect the Lekwungen peoples on whose traditional territory the University of Victoria stands and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.”

UVic is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, and human rights in our living, learning and work environments. We know that diversity underpins excellence, and that we all share responsibility for creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive community. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who will work respectfully and constructively with differences and across levels of power.

UVic actively encourages applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to,
 First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
 members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
 persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
 persons who identify as women; and
 persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

UVic recognizes that many of these identities intersect and that therefore, equity, diversity and inclusion can be complex. We value the contributions that each person brings, and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all in our community.
https://www.uvic.ca/equity/employment-equity/statement/index.php

UVic’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy (GV0205) sections 4.00 through 17.04 outline complaint procedures pertaining to discrimination and harassment at UVic.

In addition, the Equity and Human Rights office (EQHR) has a Case Management Officer who is the first point of contact for university community members who are seeking information, policy options and support from EQHR and UVic more broadly. They provide information, policy options including receiving disclosures and conducting confidential consultations, as well as referrals and support. to all those that find their way to EQHR, with specific emphasis on Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Policy (GV0245) and the Discrimination and Harassment Policy (GV0205). EQHR's case management team also includes a Manager, Informal Case Resolution to action EQHR’s informal resolution responsibilities under both policies as well as a Manager, Sexualized Violence Education, Prevention and Support who is responsible for work completed through the Sexualized Violence Resource Office, including both prevention (education) and response efforts. This work is led by the Director, Human Rights who is responsible for the strategic direction and everyday operations of preventing and responding to all issues related to Discrimination, Harassment and Sexualized Violence including investigations. Reports on the number of confidential consultations, disclosures, and people who have opted for an Informal Resolution Process or a Formal Resolution Process are shared through EQHR's annual report. See 2021-2022's: https://www.uvic.ca/equity/assets/docs/annualreport2022w.pdf

Additionally, UVic has a Response Coordination Team (RCT) to address emergent, complex, and potentially high risk concerns when they arise. The RCT's purview is broad in scope and addresses all issues with potential risk to University community memebers as well as the institution. The Team is formed when an emergent or escalating event occurs that impacts a number of sectors across campus and/or requires rapid response. Members of the RCT would review risk, coordinate support and services, consider recommendations for Interim Measures, if appropriate consider alternative or additional policy or processes, or provide advice to the key parties involved.

Examples include:
In 2023, following a public dispute between two UVic student clubs, an RCT was called to bring key leaders from across campus to to determine appropriate policy and procedure response as well as impact to individuals, communities, and the institution.

In 2021, responding to a report that a racial slur was used in the classroom in quoting literature, an RCT was called to bring in leaders from the department and across campus to respond appropriately to those affected and provide recommendations to address colonization and contextualize sensitive content in the classroom.

UVic's Student Enrolment Management Plan has targeted strategies and tactics to increase new Indigenous student retention and International student rention to 85% by 2024. Review the Plan's Goal 1c, 2b, and 2c https://www.uvic.ca/assets2012/docs/sem-final.pdf

Prospective Indigenous students are asked to self-identify to access specific services, scholarships, awards and busaries for Indigenous students. There are Indigenous recruiters on campus for students to ask questions, discuss candidacy and learn how to apply. There is a Special Access - First Nations, Metis and Inuit category for alternate admissions which reviews education and non-educational achievements of the Indigenous applicant. There are a number of guaranteed on-campus housing spots for Indigenous students as well.
Student Recruitment and Global Engagement also specifically target high schools that are situated in known areas low-income status. For example, one such program targets First Nation's communities and offers an on campus "summer camp", called Mini-U for potential students of Indigenous heritage. The purpose of the target outreach program is to provide potential students considering higher education opportunities to have “campus experience” before attending UVic, thus increasing their chance of academic success. Access to funding and student aid tool kits and availability information is part of the recruitment target program.
https://www.uvic.ca/services/indigenous/community/mini-u/index.php

Prospective international students may be eligible for entrance scholarships, grants, awards, and other funding opportunities specifically for international students. International bursaries are also offered for students who experience financial crisis during their schoool year. UVic has exchange programs to recruit visiting students as well. Once international students are admitted, they recieve support through the International Centre for Students to gelp get settled in Victoria, work through immigration documents, and accessing healthcare, work, and housing.

For faculty and staff, some searches use preferential or limited hiring. Preferential and limited hiring assists the university to achieve diverse and equitable representation in the workplace, and to recruit employees whose identities enrich the ways in which we accomplish the academic mission and serve our community. In order to better communicate these preferential and limited searches as well as job ads in general, the ads are often sent to a series of organizations and listservs that focus on underrepresented groups. UVic currently has approval from the BC Human Rights Tribunal to use preferential or limited hiring for Indigenous Peoples, Black people, people with disabilities/disabled persons, racialized people or people of colour, and women and gender diverse peoples. The preferential and limited hiring program aids the university in reaching its hiring goals outlined in the Equity Action Plan. Guidelines for preferential and limited hiring at UVic can be found at https://www.uvic.ca/equity/employment-equity/preferential/index.php. More resources for recruitment that is focused on equity and diversity can be found at https://www.uvic.ca/hr/manager-support/hiring/index.php under “Make diversity and equity a priority”.

The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, is an example of one of the very active Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committees on campus. The committee meets regularly to implement new strategies to attract and retain a diverse community of students. Some of the newest initiatives are two entrance scholarships aimed at female and Indigenous students applying to either Computer Science or Engineering. Indigenous students who have a GPA of 85% or higher will be eligible for up to $6,000 towards their UVic studies, which they are able to combine with other entrance scholarships. Similarly, female students who have a GPA of 85% or over will be eligible for up to $3,000 towards their UVic studies, which they can also combine with other entrance scholarships. These new initiatives have been effective in encouraging students who may have been considering other institutions to choose UVic.

The University of Victoria Indigenous Plan: 2017-2022 provides two goals which directly relate to Indigenous student recruitment and retention. Goals and actions for the recruitment and retention of Indigenous Students can be found on pages 14-15 (goal 1 and goal 3). The Indigenous Plan additionally provides three goals directly related to recruitment and retention of Indigenous faculty and staff, which can be found on pages 17-18 (goals 1, 3 and 4).

Read more at https://www.uvic.ca/assets2012/docs/indigenous-plan.pdf

Mentoring programs are common throughout the university and Human Resources provides a mentoring program that reserves pairings for members of designated groups. In some units successful candidates in preferential or limited competitions are supported through professional development opportunities and/or mentored by senior staff. Various units across campus such as Coop and Career Services provide mentoring buddies to incoming new staff. Training on education and diversity is provided by Vice-President Academic and Provost (VPAC), EQHR and HR to staff, faculty and students.

For students, we have dedicated resources pages for Indigenous students, international students, and students with disabilities.
Within the Indigenous students page shares information related to:
- The First People's House a safe space for learning, sharing and community building for Indigenous students and employees.
- Academic and cultural programs like Elders in Residence, Indigenous counselling, the Campus Cousins program, list of Indigenous events, academic support, and Native Students Union.
- Specialized Indigenous-focused programs, exchange opportunities, research and more

For International students there are specialized resources and programs such as UVic's Global Community, Conversation Partners program, Mentorship, the International Centre for Students, International Commons, and English as an additional language supports.

For students with disabilties:
- Sharing resources within the Centre for Accessible Learning on how to access academic accomodations, assistive technology and more
- Specialized library services such as a respite room, priority workspaces, and alternative formats to library materials
- Learning Assistance Program
- The Society for Students with a Disability
- Information on STEPS Forward to include students with developmental disabilities to continue their education after leaving high school

There is a dedicated resource page for trans, Two-Spirit and gender diverse students and employees at UVic as well. It shares commitments in the stratefic framework, Equity Action Plan, UVic's related policies, Chair of Transgender Studies, the Transgender Archives, and expectations for inclusive, non-discriminatory student behaviour. Lists of education and advocacy resources are available as well as health supports in the province. There are advocacy groups that students can join including UVic Pride Collective, Gender Empowerment Centre, and the Anti-Violence Project.

UVic is host to the world’s first Chair in Transgender Studies, which is a research and community outreach office dedicated to community-building and to fostering and sharing scholarship by and about Trans, non-binary, and Two-spirit people. They support and build healthy communities by facilitating activities of interest to the aforementioned groups as well as their allies.

In addition to the resources that all faculty have access to, Indigenous faculty are invited to sit on the Indigenous Academic Advisory Council which is a forum for faculty and academic administrators to discuss existing, emerging and potential academic programs with Indigenous content and/or focus. The Office of Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement also provides support to the Indigenous community at UVic, including students, faculty, and non-academic staff, which all Indigenous employees are made aware of in their UVic Guide for Indigenous Employees.

Accessibility resources for students, employees, and community members are all listed publicly on UVic's draft Accessibility Plan resources page.

To accommodate university employees with disabilities, the university has established a Central Accommodation Fund (CAF). This fund was made to assist in the fulfilment of UVic’s legal duties, regulated by the British Columbia Human Rights Code, to provide departments with a source of funds to assist in their provision of necessary and reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.
CanAssist is an organization of the University of Victoria and is dedicated to helping people with disabilities improve their quality of life and increase awareness of disability issues. CanAssist takes a client-focused approach to provide customized technologies and innovative programs where there are gaps in existing services. Located on campus in the CARSA facility, they are a resource available to students and employees with a disability at UVic.

The UVic Global Community initiative provides opportunities and creates space for international and domestic students, staff and faculty to share perspectives, celebrate diversity, foster intercultural connections, and cultivate an inclusive and globally minded campus. Specifically, the Global Community aims to connect international, indigenous and domestic students; support all students’ well-being, social inclusivity and academic success; respect the beliefs, values, abilities, sexual orientations and gender identities of all people; empower students to get involved and take on leadership roles; and unify and enrich our global citizenry. There support programs include Conversation Partners, the Mentorship Program, and the Holiday Dinner Program.

There are several doctoral scholarships offered by UVic aimed at students from underrepresented groups. Examples include but are not limited to:
• Chair in Transgender Studies Doctoral Degree Research Scholarship for Trans, Non-binary, and Two-Spirit Students
• Chair in Transgender Studies Doctoral Degree Research Scholarship
• Dean’s Award for Indigenous Graduate Students (one award of $15,000 for Doctoral level students)
• Dean’s award for Indigenous Graduate Students (three awards of $6,000 for Doctoral level students)

UVic Guide for Indigenous Employees: https://www.uvic.ca/hr/assets/docs/onboarding/indigenous-employees-guide.pdf

Office of Indigenous Academic and Community Engagement: https://www.uvic.ca/services/indigenous/

Human Resources Mentorship Program: https://www.uvic.ca/hr/learning-development/mentorship/

UVic Indigenous Plan 2017-2022: https://www.uvic.ca/_assets/docs/indigenous-plan.pdf

UVic Centre for Accessible Learning: https://www.uvic.ca/students/info-for/students-with-disabilities/index.php

UVic Society for Students with a Disability: https://www.uvicssd.com/services/

Central Accommodation Fund: https://www.uvic.ca/hr/health-wellness/return-to-work/central-accommodation-fund/index.php

CanAssist: https://www.canassist.ca/EN/index.html

UVic Global Community: https://www.uvic.ca/international/home/global-community/index.php

Gender Empowerment Centre: https://genderempowermentcentre.ca/

Chair in Transgender Studies: https://www.uvic.ca/research/transchair/about/index.php

University of Victoria Public All-Gender Washrooms: https://www.uvic.ca/info/accessibility/all-gender-washrooms/index.php