The Brock University Faculty Association (BUFA) and the University are seeking feedback from faculty members and professional librarians to inform an equity audit of the tenure and promotion processes outlined in the latest BUFA Collective Agreement. The equity audit includes the permanence process for professional librarians.

The audit, which is being guided by a committee with equal representation from BUFA and the University, aims to ensure these processes respond to employment equity provisions for self-identified faculty members and professional librarians.

Designated equity-seeking groups in the BUFA Collective Agreement include women; First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples; Black people; persons with disabilities; members of visible minorities or racialized groups; and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse people.

Faculty members and professional librarians are invited to share experiences and thoughts on the intersection of equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization with the permanence, tenure and promotion processes through an anonymous online consultation portal. The portal will remain open until Tuesday, April 9.

Opportunities to participate in focus groups will also be announced in the coming weeks.

Faculty members and professional librarians who would prefer to share their feedback directly with BUFA may do so by emailing bufa@brocku.ca

The audit, which is expected to wrap up by the end of 2024, will also include a review of academic literature and best practices at other Canadian universities.

Based on its findings, the committee will make recommendations to help ensure that career progression decisions, criteria and processes are equitable and non-discriminatory, with particular reference to equity-seeking groups.

While the committee is not able to modify existing BUFA Collective Agreement language, it will produce a report that could be used by permanence, tenure and promotion committees or by BUFA or the University to inform language considered in futures rounds of collective bargaining.

Questions or comments about the audit can be directed to provost@brocku.ca or to bufa@brocku.ca