"Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) or the University endeavors to provide learning and working environments that are inclusive and which are supportive of fair and equitable treatment of all members within its diverse community, no matter their social identity, meaning the various attributes or characteristics with which one strongly identifies and views as integral to their identity. This commitment requires the removal of unnecessary barriers to greater diversity within KPU and requires measures to support and promote inclusiveness, diversity and equity across the University." (HR15)
For EDI awards, the Faculty of Arts is following a wide-ranging and broadly used set of definitions for the terms 'equity,' 'diversity,' and 'inclusion' as adopted by the Canada Research Chairs program in their publication The Institutional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plans: A Best Practices Guide (2019):
Equity: "Equity is the removal of systemic barriers and biases enabling all individuals to have equal access."
Diversity: "Diversity is defined as differences in race, colour, place of origin, religion, immigrant and newcomer status, ethnic origin, ability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age."
Inclusion: "Inclusion is defined as the practice of ensuring that all individuals are valued and respected for their contributions and equally supported."
Nominations Deadline
Nominations open on Sunday December 10th, 2023 (Human Rights Day).
The deadline for nominations is Thursday, February 29th, 2024.
Eligibility
Nominees for the Faculty of Arts EDI Awards may be individuals or groups/teams inclusive of faculty, students, staff, and alumni who are studying and/or working within, or affiliated with, the Faculty of Arts.
Past recipients of the Faculty of Arts EDI Awards are eligible to receive the award every five years. The exceptions to this rule include an individual recipient of the award who is also eligible to receive the award as a member of a group/team within a span of five years. Similarly, a recipient of the group/team award is eligible to receive an individual award within the span of five years.
Groups/teams are broadly defined. Some examples include a student organization or club; a cohort of students in a specific program; a group of students who worked together on a course-based project; a working group involving staff, faculty, students and/or alumni; a departmental or faculty-level committee; an entire department; a collaborative partnership; etc.
Ineligibility
Recipients who have received both the individual and group/team EDI awards within a five-year period are ineligible to be nominated for Faculty of Arts EDI Awards. An individual will become eligible again to be nominated for the award after the time frame for having received the award has passed five years.
Nominators and Nomination Packages
Nominators may be students, faculty, staff, or alumni of KPU. Nominators cannot nominate more than one individual or group/team in a given year.
Nominations must include
- The completed nomination form and a written statement (100-300 words) about why the nominee(s) is/are deserving of the Faculty of Arts EDI award.
- Two letters of reference (maximum of 500 words; attach and submit as PDF files) *Please note that the Dean and Associate Deans cannot supply letters of reference for nominations.
Individuals cannot self-nominate for the individual EDI award category.
Groups/teams are permitted to self-nominate for the group/teams EDI award category.
Criteria for selection of the recipient(s) include the following
- Demonstrated excellence in supporting and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion within the Faculty of Arts and/or the KPU community and any affiliates (e.g. non-profit organizations, industry and/or research partners; educational institutions, etc.) within the communities around one of KPU's Surrey, Langley, Richmond, or Cloverdale campuses.
- A sustained commitment to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at KPU and/or within the community (as defined above).
- The removal of systemic barriers and the development or improvement of formal/ informal institutional processes and practices to encourage equity, diversity, and inclusion within the Faculty of Arts and the community (as defined above).
- The transformative impact of the individual or group/team through sharing their experiences, knowledge, and work related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization within the Faculty of Arts, KPU, and KPU affiliates in the community (as defined above).
Examples of the kinds of activities deserving of a nomination may include the following
- Assisting those with disabilities to have greater access
- Sharing projects, publications, and/or research with the local community or larger audiences
- Overcoming personal and systemic barriers
- Advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Organizing or taking on a key role in an event or workshop
- Working with community partners to foster EDI initiatives
- Supporting and engaging in the creation or development of processes related to EDI initiatives
- Connecting others to EDI resources
- Diversifying one's teaching, research and/or creative practices