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Mandate

The EDIC is a joint standing committee of McGill’s Senate and the Board of Governors, constituted under the authority of, and accountable to, these two governance bodies. The EDIC has principal responsibility for reviewing the University’s progress in relation to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and advising on measures required to uphold its EDI commitments.

The EDIC’s specific responsibilities include:

• Review and advise on proposed University Strategic Plans that have an EDI component
• Receive and review annual reports from the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and other units as appropriate about EDI plans, measures, and outcomes in relation to the following areas:

• education and awareness-raising
• student enrolment and retention
• student services and support
• representation and equity within the workforce (including academic staff)
• preventing and responding to discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence
• Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education
• addressing anti-Black racism
• alignment between central and Faculty-/unit-level EDI strategies & activities

• Provide advice and recommendations to the University to address apparent EDI-related gaps or needs and to strengthen EDI efforts
• Advise on policy initiatives and proposed regulations and policies that have EDI implications
• Receive input from the EDIC Subcommittees on matters of relevance to the groups these Subcommittees serve, including via annual reports.
• Propose EDI-related recommendations to Senate and the Board, which are aligned with institutional priorities and objectives. A recommendation from the EDIC is presented to Senate first and, subject to Senate’s approval, then to the Board, unless otherwise determined by the Board. In case of disagreement, the Board will refer the matter back to Senate for review.

The EDIC will also have the following responsibilities vis-à-vis its Subcommittees[1]:

• establish and review, at least once every three years and beginning in the first year of the EDIC's new mandate, the Terms of Reference of the EDIC’s Subcommittees. These Terms of Reference will set processes to establish the appointment of a Subcommittee’s Chair or co-Chair, support a reasonable alignment among all Subcommittees’ mandates and the mandate of the EDIC, and set a minimum number of annual meetings;
• support the Subcommittees’ efforts to boost participation and engagement;
• receive annual reports from the Subcommittees;
• hold an Annual General Meeting open to all Subcommittee Chairs; and
• consult all Subcommittees, regardless of whether their Chairs sit on the EDIC at a given time, on EDI-related policies that the EDIC is asked to review.

Additionally, the EDIC may establish a new Subcommittee or determine that Subcommittee status from an existing Subcommittee should be withdrawn (though membership of a former Subcommittee might continue to associate in a different form). This authority will be exercised based on the needs and best interests of the McGill community, as determined by reference to University EDI policies and plans, and in consultation with members of the equity-seeking group represented by the Subcommittee in issue.

The EDIC also may consider any other matter referred to it by Senate or the Board, a co-Chair, or the Senior Steward. In so doing, the EDIC may strike working groups or taskforces to study and make recommendations, the membership of which will have the expertise necessary to review and analyze the matter in question.

The EDIC shall report annually to Senate and the Board on its activities. This report will record activities and recommendations to the University to address apparent EDI-related gaps or needs and to strengthen EDI efforts.

The EDIC will meet at least four times per year, which will include one Annual General Meeting open to all Subcommittee Chairs.

Composition

Nominations of all members to the EDIC are subject to the review and approval of Senate and the Board, and their respective Nominating Committees.

• One Faculty Dean (co-chair) appointed by the Secretary General in consultation with both (a) the Director of EDI and (b) one Subcommittee Chair
• One Board member (co-chair) appointed from among the Board’s members-at-large or alumni members
• Two representatives appointed by Senate, at least one of whom will be a full-time tenured or tenure-track academic staff member and at least one of whom will be a Senator
• Two representatives appointed by the Board who will be McGill alumni and not current McGill students, faculty, or staff
• Three Associate or Assistant Deans from different Faculties whose portfolios include EDI
• Two Subcommittee Chairs appointed on a two-year, rotating term
• Four students – one representing each of SSMU, PGSS, MACES, MCSS

Supporting members

• Secretary-General or delegate (Secretary to the Committee)
• Associate Provost (Equity & Academic Policies)* (Senior Steward)

Where necessary or appropriate, the Senior Steward or Secretary may invite University staff to serve as resource persons for items of business before the Committee.

Membership will reflect gender and other forms of social diversity as well as a strong understanding of EDI issues.

A member’s term will be three years, renewable once.

A co-chair’s term will be three years, renewable once.

The EDIC will review its terms of reference once every three years and submit recommendations for their review to Senate and the Board, and their respective Nominating Committees.

Members will receive training, at least annually, on McGill’s EDI priorities and commitments, and on topics such as:

• systemic discrimination and barriers in higher education

• EDI, anti-racism, and reconciliation in practice, particularly in higher education settings
• employment equity
• implicit bias

Source:
JBSCE
Senate Minute 129, March 23, 1994
Executive Committee Minute 8297, April 11, 1994
Senate Minute IIB3, February 19, 2013
Board of Governors, Minute 7.1, April 26, 2013
Senate Minute IIB3, November 23, 2016
Board of Governors, Minute 14.2.1, December 1, 2016
EDIC
Senate Minute IIB1, September 22, 2021Ìý
Executive Committee Minute 5.2, October 28, 2021

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EDIC Subcommittees

Subcommittee on WomenÌý
Subcommittee on Persons with DisabilitiesÌý
Subcommittee on Family CareÌý
Subcommittee on First PeoplesÌý
Subcommittee on Racialized and Ethnic PersonsÌý
Subcommittee on Queer PeopleÌý