Provost Cheryl Regehr

“Knowledge resides in everybody”: U of T expands, supports access programming

sungjimi — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 19:40:27 +0000

“Knowledge resides in everybody”: U of T expands, supports access programming sungjimi Wed, 11/25/2020 - 14:40

Important work is underway across the three campuses to address systemic barriers that may prevent students from diverse backgrounds from seeing the University of Toronto as a place where they can thrive – and to create pathways and supports to help students succeed.

“Many talk about diversifying the student population at the University of Toronto, but this is not merely an academic exercise – it’s something that we truly believe in,” says Ann Lopez, the provostial adviser on access.

Lopez, an associate professor, teaching stream in the department of leadership, higher and adult education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, says improving access isn’t just important – it’s necessary. Enhancing and promoting access and outreach programming will help underrepresented groups overcome the systemic barriers they face, and ensure all feel welcome, she says.

“It’s vital that underrepresented groups – in fact, all students – see U of T as a place where they belong and where they can thrive,” Lopez says. “This is a place for everyone.”

Earlier this year, Lopez and her team organized the inaugural access programming conference at U of T to boost collaboration among the community. The second annual conference is set to take place virtually in March. Next spring will see the launch of a new website that will act as a resource for those working to create or enhance access programming within their own division or department.

Lopez points out that a commitment to access is one of U of T’s core values and it has been a priority for Cheryl Regehr, vice-president and provost.

As part of her advisory role to the provost, Lopez conducted an inventory of the access and outreach programs at U of T and found that there are more than 80 active programs or initiatives. The Access Programs University Fund was established to advance these efforts and continues to support the programs that make U of T a place where all students can envision themselves attending.

“We asked ourselves: ‘How do we sustain these access programs?’,” Lopez says. “We are really examining how to make it so that they become embedded in organizational work – being baked into everything we do from the beginning – rather than being work along the way.”

Some of those 80 programs are already seeing positive results. The Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s Black Students Application Program, for example, resulted in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine accepting 24 Black students into the class of 2024, the largest cohort of Black medical students in Canadian history. Other access and outreach programs have been implemented U of T, such as the Faculty of Law’s Black Student Application Process and Black Future Lawyers, the Imani Tri-Mentorship Program at U of T Scarborough, the Dalla Lana School of Public Health’s outreach and access program and the Blueprint program at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. The new access website will glean best practices from these programs and help program administrators exchange ideas and initiatives.

Lopez hopes the invaluable work being done to break down barriers will continue to thrive at U of T with these new resources to ensure any student interested in conducting their studies at U of T has the opportunity.

“It’s important to note that access is not about lowering standards,” Lopez says. “We are acknowledging that knowledge resides in everybody but some folks have not had the opportunity to bring that knowledge to the table.

“We need to create that space and remove barriers for all racialized groups who have not been historically included or perceived as not belonging in a place like U of T.”

“Knowledge resides in everybody”: U of T expands, supports access programming

Ann Lopez speaks at the inaugural Access Connections Day conference held earlier this year. Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn

Jenny Rodrigues

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Governing Council approves policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment

lanthierj — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:00:09 +0000

Governing Council approves policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment

lanthierj Fri, 12/16/2016 - 12:00

Topic

Our Community

Provost

Provost Cheryl Regehr

The University of Toronto is taking an important step to address sexual violence on our campuses with the final approval of a new policy that establishes a consistent system for responding to incidents and getting support, says Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr.

U of T’s new policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment received final approval from Governing Council on December 15 and will take effect January 1, 2017.

Read the policy

The policy will apply to all members of the U of T community and makes available the same services to everyone – students, faculty and staff. All incidents between members of the community, whether they take place on or off campus or online, will be covered by the new policy.

“Sexual violence and harassment have no place in our community,” Regehr said. “We need to make that clear through our policy and services, and we need to make sure those affected by sexual violence know where to turn for help.”

Adopting a new policy is one of several actions U of T is taking to improve its response to sexual violence. It follows almost two years of consultations and research, including the advice of an expert panel that delivered its recommendations in August.

Provincial law requires that all universities and colleges in the province have a policy on sexual violence in place by January 2017.

The new policy aims to reduce the barriers to disclosure and reporting by minimizing the number of times complainants are asked to tell their story and maintaining as much confidentiality as possible.

It makes a clear distinction between disclosing an incident and making a formal report, and there is no requirement to make a formal report in order to access support or to receive academic, employment or other accommodations..

“Everyone needs to be treated with respect and know they have a safe environment to work and to learn,” said Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of human resources and equity.

The new policy includes a commitment to due process and procedural fairness. The measures are designed to strike a balance, Regehr said, and respect the interests of both parties. She said the university will continue to work with groups on campus as it begins implementing the new policy.

“I want to thank everyone who helped shape this policy for their involvement over the past two years,” Regehr said. “This policy is the result of hundreds of hours of consultations and research – and the hard work continues.”

Central to the new policy is the creation of a Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre, which will have a presence on all three campuses in January. The centre will manage the process for reporting sexual violence and sexual harassment and will offer support for those who disclose an incident, whether or not they choose to report it. It also will provide training and education and will be the first point of contact for those who want accommodations.

The university also has hired a new director to oversee the centre, who will begin in January. An executive director of personal safety, high risk and sexual violence prevention and support was hired earlier this year to oversee sexual violence prevention and response initiatives, and to take the lead on community safety and high-risk matters.

The policy is part of U of T’s action plan to prevent and respond to sexual violence. As part of that plan, two expert panels are continuing to do work. An expert panel on education and prevention activities is conducting specialized consultations with student leaders and staff and will begin broader consultations this winter. The Sexual Violence Climate Survey Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Sandy Welsh, is following the survey development work of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development and its plans for a university sector climate survey.

U of T celebrates exemplary teaching

ullahnor — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 16:41:34 +0000

U of T celebrates exemplary teaching

ullahnor Wed, 11/16/2016 - 11:41

Cutline

U of T's Jonathan Rose (left) Alison Gibbs and James D. Thomson (right) are the recipients of the 2016 President's Teaching Award

Geoffrey Vendeville

Author legacy

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Our Community

President's Teaching Award

President Meric Gertler

Provost Cheryl Regehr

Education

Professors

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

innovation in education

One tries to make sense of the world through statistics. The other is a coding wiz. And the third focuses on explaining the relationship between plants and animals.

Alison Gibbs, an associate professor (teaching stream) in the department of statistical sciences; Jonathan Rose, a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering; and James D. Thomson, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, received the 2016 President's Teaching Award – the University of Toronto's highest honour for excellence in teaching.

While the three come from different backgrounds, they share a devotion to their students.

“It’s not about teaching. It’s about learning,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs and Thomson are from the Faculty of Arts & Science. Rose is from the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. All three were honoured Tuesday night at a ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the first university-wide teaching award. U of T President Meric Gertler and Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr presented the awards.

President Meric Gertler (right) and Provost Cheryl Regehr (left) present Professor James D. Thomson with the award (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Thomson co-teaches an introductory biology course on adaptation and biodiversity that is so popular that enrolment often exceeds the seats in Convocation Hall. To accomodate the 1,900 students who typically sign up, the class has morning and evening sessions.

Thomson has also taken students as far as Vietnam to study flowers and pollinators, and he wrote a textbook called The Struggle for Existence, a nod to Charles Darwin.

Known for his dry sense of humour, he tries not to recycle jokes for students.

“If some little witticism occurs to me while I’m phrasing a sentence, I’m willing to take a bit of a flier and throw it in. Usually, those pretty much fall flat,” he said with a laugh.

Provost Cheryl Regehr

“Knowledge resides in everybody”: U of T expands, supports access programming

Governing Council approves policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment

Read the policy

U of T celebrates exemplary teaching

Read more about Thomson

Read more about Rose

Read more about Gibbs

Read more about the President's Teaching Award