CRC Public Accountability Page
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Commitment Statement
Canadian Mennonite University is an innovative Christian university, rooted in the Anabaptist faith tradition. CMU is committed to embodying the inclusivity of Jesus Christ’s life and teachings. We are honoured to live, learn, and serve on Treaty 1 Territory, the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree, and Dakota First Nations and the homeland of the Métis Nation. As an expression of Christian faith and commitment, CMU acknowledges the truth of past harms and ongoing wrongs and seeks active reconciliation with Indigenous communities and people.
Therefore, CMU aims to interrupt and address systemic inequities by creating an anti-oppressive and purposefully inclusive environment across the whole university, including its enrolment, academic, and employment practices. This involves listening to and relating more justly with Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour, 2SLGBTQ+ people, women, people with disabilities, people experiencing economic marginalization, people of diverse faith backgrounds, and all systemically oppressed people. CMU will work continuously toward equity, diversity, and inclusion to foster a flourishing community for all.
The commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion extends to CMU’s participation in the Canada Research Chairs Program and the institution’s broader research enterprise.
Strategy for raising awareness within the institution of its commitment to and the benefits of EDI within the CRCP and the broader research enterprise:
CMU will raise awareness of equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments through the following initiatives:
- Continue and strenghten the work of the EDI and Intercultural Health Committee to address EDI concerns and proactively implement procedures that strengthen EDI at CMU
- Internally discuss the results of the EDI research project currently being conducted by the Centre for Community-Based Research
- EDI-related trainings for staff and faculty
EDI initiatives specific to the CRC Program include:
- Unconscious bias training for all involved in the CRC process
- Write and implement CRC plans and upcoming CRC policies in a manner that supports and furthers EDI
- Include a statement in CRC advertisements that particularly encourages members of the designated groups to apply
- Appoint the Director of Research Grants to all CRC search committees as the equivalent equity officer
- Prioritize EDI theory and practice in CRC nomination applications, including amending current institutional policies and procedures if necessary
CRCP’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Requirements and Practices page
2019 Addendum to the 2006 Canadian Human Rights Settlement Agreement
Population based Institutional Equity Targets 2021-2029
Contact information for the individual or individuals who are responsible for implementing the institution’s EDI agenda and can respond to questions or concerns related to EDI
- Charlie Peronto, Dean of Student Life and Chair of the EDI and Intercultural Health Committee
Description of how EDI concerns received by the institution are monitored and addressed, and reported to senior management
Concerns related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, both within the CRCP and the campus as a whole, will follow CMU's Respectful Campus Policy. The complainant may choose to pursue either an informal or formal process, both of which are described in detail in the policy.
The Respectful Campus Committee (RCC) monitors CMU's Respectful Campus Policy. With permission from the complainant, the RCC will submit EDI concerns related to the CRC in writing to the Vice-President Academic. If a conflict of interest exists between the complainant and the Vice-President Academic, the complainant can bring concerns to the President. The Director of Research Grants, under the direction of the Vice-President Academic, will maintain documentation of correspondence and files for formal CRC EDI matters.
The Vice-President Academic will meet with the chairholder(s) once per year formally and more regularly on an informal basis to discuss their role, concerns, and any explicit EDI-related issues.
EDI-related concerns outside of the CRC Program can be directed to the EDI and Intercultural Health Committee.
The institution’s equity targets and gaps for each of the four designated groups
CMU is not yet required to produce equity targets for CRC hirings because the institution currently has one allocation.
CMU is committed to employment equity, welcoming and working to foster diversity in the workplace. We encourage CRC applications from all qualified individuals, especially candidates in equity, diversity, and inclusion categories including women, racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, first preference must be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.
Policies that govern the staffing of Canada Research Chair positions at the institution
Canadian Mennonite University is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from the four designated groups (Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and women). The management and development of the University’s Canada Research Chair Program is guided by the policies and procedures that govern faculty recruitment and advancement, as well as those that provide a framework for research. These include but are not limited to the following policies:
- CMU Academic Staff Policies from the CMU Personnel Policy Handbook
- Policy Regarding Conflicts Of Interest In Research And Scholarship
Institutional CRCP utilization spreadsheet
- CMU Utilization Spreadsheet (at the time of publication, CMU has not yet held a CRC)
Program requirements for recruiting and nominating Canada Research Chairs
Canadian Mennonite University Canada Research Chair Advertisements
Publication of EDI Report Responses, 2022
Does your institution have an EDI Action Plan for the CRCP? No
Engagement with individuals from underrepresented groups: CMU does not yet have an EDI Action Plan as this is not currently required for an institution with one CRCP allocation. The institution is still prioritizing EDI and is at the early stages of gathering information and developing process around creating an EDI Action Plan. CMU has submitted a Tier 2 CRCP nomination. EDI was considered at all stages of the nomination process, including the involvement of an EDI officer, training on implicit bias for members of the selection committee, and embedding EDI considerations in the nomination itself.
Efforts to Address Systemic Barriers More Broadly within the Institution: The actions CMU is currently engaged in include:
- Developing an EDI committee, including inviting a diverse membership, creating a terms of reference, and a work plan
- Planning training events for staff and faculty with an Indigenous community with which the institution holds a long relationship, including a bundle commitment ceremony
- Engaging with a consultant to conduct baseline evaluations of policies and procedures with an EDI lens, in order to understand where gaps and strengths lie.
- The CMU Indigenous Engagement Advisor provides support across the institution for Indigenous engagement, including membership on committee, planning public events, teaching courses in Indigenous studies, and leading regular discussion groups with staff and faculty.
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