Western University
PAE-7: Measuring Campus Diversity Culture

Western's employment equity survey is a crucial component of Western's commitment to diversity. As such, all employees of the university (staff and faculty) are strongly encouraged to take the few minutes necessary to complete this confidential survey. The purpose of the survey is to provide an accurate picture of the composition of Western's workforce. This information is essential to develop employment equity programs at Western and to measure our progress towards creating an equitable workplace and building a diverse workforce. The accuracy of our employment equity database is also a critical criterion of Western’s compliance with federal regulations. Under the terms of the Federal Contractors Program, Western gathers and maintains data about four designated groups: women, visible minorities, aboriginal people, and persons with disabilities.

In 2008-2009, after analyzing Western’s employment equity data, a significant underrepresentation of designated group members was found to exists. Thus, Western underwent an Employment Systems Review (ESR), conducted by external consultants. An ESR is a requirement of the Federal Contractors Program and looks at the impact of all formal and informal employment policies and practices on the representation of designated group members. Some of the achievements and initiatives that resulted from this are: - In June 2009, an all-day workshop on Mentoring Women was sponsored by Western’s Caucus on Women’s Issues, Provost’s Office, Teaching Support Centre and UWOFA. It focused both on being a mentor and mentoring others. - The Faculty of Science appointed its first ever Assistant Dean, Diversity and Outreach - In September 2008, the Faculty of Law converted a robing room (just outside the Moot Court) into a nursery to support a student/mother attending law school. - The Department of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research received support from Senate to introduce a PhD program, commencing in September 2009. - Through the Equity & Human Rights Services office, Western now offers an online multifaith calendar (available to all students, staff and faculty) to help facilitate the accommodation of religious and cultural holidays and celebrations on our campus. - In June 2009, Western celebrated the graduation of fifteen students, eleven of whom were Aboriginal, from the Masters of Education program with a special focus on Leadership for First Nations Schools. It is believed that this is one of the largest groups of Aboriginal students to ever graduate en masse from a Master’s program at a Canadian university - The University Students’ Council created an Accessibility Task Force for Orientation Week to assist in improving accessibility at orientation events during September 2009.