On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Brock University President Gervan Fearon sent the following message to all faculty, staff and students:

At Brock University, we seek to create an environment characterized by openness, fairness and equal access for all students, staff and faculty. A welcoming and inclusive campus climate is forged through mutual respect, nurtured by dialogue, evidenced by a pattern of civil interaction, and is one of the foundations of our educational model. These considerations are also reflected in the University’s values and Institutional Strategic Plan.

Creating and maintaining a community environment that respects individual needs, abilities and potential is critical. To that end, and following on recommendations of the University’s 2017 Human Rights Task Force report, the University is undertaking a climate assessment. We will study and review our institution’s day-to-day culture and atmosphere as perceived by employees and students.

Together, this is our chance to make a difference in Brock’s future and create positive development and lasting changes for the University that will help create a more inclusive campus.

To facilitate these goals, ensure full transparency and to provide a more complete perspective, we have engaged Rankin & Associates Consulting to help lead this effort. (To avoid any confusion, please note this company has no connection to the local family for whom Brock’s Rankin Family Pavilion is named.)

Rankin & Associates has conducted more than 200 campus climate assessment projects at academic institutions across North America over the past 20 years. Here at Brock, they will be working with a committee of students, staff and faculty to develop and conduct the assessment. The results will be used to develop actions to support current successful programs and policies, as well as to address any challenges with the core mission —enhancing Brock’s inclusivity.

I encourage you to have your input into Brock’s future by completing the climate survey when it goes live in early 2020.

The climate project website is now available at brocku.ca/campus-climate-survey and will provide communication on the project process and results.

I hope that you will join me in supporting this important project.

Sincerely,

Gervan Fearon, President and Vice-Chancellor

Brock University