Dear students, staff, faculty members and librarians,
At Brock, we can be proud of the diversity of our University community, and of the welcoming home that our campuses provide to individuals from a range of backgrounds. Much of the progress we have made in this area results from the hard work of members of our own community, including the Human Rights Task Force and the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity and Decolonization (PACHRED).
Brock’s Institutional Strategic Plan highlights our commitment to creating a safe work and learning environment for all members of our community, as well as our priorities related to fostering a culture of inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization.
While we should recognize the progress that we have made and are making every day in this area, we should also constantly strive for better. For that reason, Brock will be taking a number of steps in 2022 to strengthen its services and policy framework, and to ensure that we continue to promote effective practices related to inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization.
These steps will include:
- Completing a scheduled review of the University’s Sexual Assault and Harassment Policy, with numerous engagement opportunities for students, staff, faculty members and librarians to provide their feedback on the policy;
- A scheduled review of the University’s Workplace Violence Prevention Policy;
- A scheduled review of the University’s Employment Equity Policy; and
- A scheduled review of the University’s Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy in Fall 2022.
I have also asked Vice-President, Administration Ken Chan to lead a review of Brock’s Human Rights and Equity Office (HRE). HRE was established as a resource to provide members of the Brock community with information, education, assistance and advice on issues related to human rights, harassment, discrimination and bullying. In the spirit of continuous improvement, the review will consider HRE’s mandate, operational effectiveness, organizational structure and resourcing. The review will provide recommendations to the President by the end of the calendar year.
I look forward to engaging with all of you as this important project progresses in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Lynn Wells
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor
Provost and Vice-President, Academic
