Brock University, in partnership with the Brock University Faculty Association (BUFA), plans to hire a group of 12 Black faculty members and/or professional librarians as part of its continuing efforts to increase diversity and foster a culture of inclusivity on campus.

“Black academics continue to be under-represented amongst faculty at institutions across this country,” says Lynn Wells, Interim Brock President and Vice-Chancellor. “This hiring initiative will not only help us begin to address this under-representation but will also demonstrate to all members of our community that at Brock there is a place for them, regardless of skin colour.”

“We are pleased to have been able to reach agreement with the University for 12 new tenure-track/permanent positions in a way that will help Brock better reflect the student body and surrounding community,” says Michelle Webber, BUFA President and Professor of Sociology. “We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues.”

The cluster hiring of 12 scholars will begin in 2023.

Last year, Brock joined nearly 50 other universities and colleges across Canada in signing the Scarborough Charter, which identifies key barriers to Black inclusion and approaches to identifying and responding to them — including the recruitment of Black faculty in clusters. The Charter has been endorsed by Brock’s Senate.

Last year, Brock also began recruitment for four new Indigenous faculty members in Women’s and Gender Studies/Sociology, History, and Educational Studies.

Brock’s Strategic Plan emphasizes the promotion of effective human resource practices and philosophies that help foster a culture of inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization.