{"id":69361,"date":"2020-09-23T15:32:09","date_gmt":"2020-09-23T19:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=69361"},"modified":"2025-10-15T10:54:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T14:54:35","slug":"edi-action-plan-town-hall","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/edi-action-plan-town-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"Carleton University Hosts EDI Action Plan Town Hall for Faculty and Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Carleton University Hosts EDI Action Plan Town Hall for Faculty and Staff\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Carleton University hosted the first town hall event on Sept. 22, 2020 to gather feedback from the community on recommendations that will inform the development of an institutional Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The virtual event was well-attended, with about 70 members of the community participating. The session began with opening remarks from Michael Charles, assistant vice-president and university advisor of Equity and Inclusive Communities<\/a>, President Benoit-Antoine Bacon and Jerry Tomberlin, provost and vice-president (Academic).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charles thanked all who attended and noted that the town hall is an exciting moment in support of the draft EDI Action Plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Michael
Michael F. Charles, Assistant Vice-President and University Advisor for EIC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, we follow on the Strategic Integrated Plan (SIP)<\/a> and another a number of other types of documents that we have been intensely engaged with over the last couple of years,\u201d Charles said.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt also happens to coincide with this period of COVID-19 and racial unrest where social and educational disparities have become acute.  As such, there could not be a more critical time to have a fulsome conversation about human rights, equity, diversity (and) inclusion at Carleton,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cToday is a really important conversation,\u201d said Bacon. \u201cWe\u2019re here because we believe that by working together, strategically and in a sustained manner, over time, we can make our university the very best that it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bacon noted that Carleton is fortunate to have a diverse community and a history of striving for inclusion. That being said, it\u2019s important to acknowledge that universities are an extension of the broader world, and Carleton is not immune to racism, discrimination and other forms of harassment and injustice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"President
President Benoit-Antoine Bacon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve made progress this year, but there is no question that much remains to be done,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt’s our shared responsibility to always seek to do better and to be part of the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Tomberlin underlined the EDI Action Plan is the result of consultation and collaboration between the Equity and Inclusive Communities Advisory Group<\/a> and the community over several months. He also highlighted the consistency between the EDI Action Plan and the SIP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt shows that this has been a part of the values that our university encompasses as part of its DNA,\u201d Tomberlin stated. He added that this process requires balancing the need for community consultation and the urgency of taking action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"On
Jerry Tomberlin, Provost and Vice-President (Academic)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Following welcome remarks, attendees engaged in small group breakout sessions based on specific themes to allow for focused, thoughtful conversation and feedback. The themes included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n