U of G is currently accepting nominations for an upcoming committee that hopes to build a safer campus environment
Following a series of recommendations received in 2020, the University of Guelph is forming a new steering committee against sexual violence and is currently accepting nominations for committee members.
On April 5, the U of G published a news release detailing its commitment to preventing and addressing sexual violence on campus. It listed committee responsibilities ranging from receiving regular reports from the Sexual Violence Advisory Committee (Students) and the Gryphons Athletics Sexual Violence Committee, identifying gaps and making suggestions for a safer and more inclusive campus, and providing regular updates to university leaders and governors.
The committee comes as an addition to the university’s 2018 update of its Sexual Violence Policy. In 2020, the school received two reports — one from the Sexual Violence Task Force and another in the form of an external review of the Department of Athletics by McLaren Global Sports Solutions.
Both reports provided U of G with various recommendations to improve school policies and procedures regarding sexual violence.
The committee will be chaired by the provost and VP academic, and ex-officio members will include various members of the university’s faculty such as the vice-provost student affairs and the sexual violence support and education coordinator.
Other appointed members which U of G is currently accepting nominations for include one undergraduate student, one graduate student, two faculty members, two members of staff, and one external member.
According to the release, members will serve a two-year term, and the committee will meet three to four times per year “or as needed.”
Further, members of the committee “who are appointed in the middle of an academic year will be appointed to terms that end at the end of a subsequent academic year with an end date that will ensure that the entire membership does not turn over at the same time.”
Those interested in a position on the committee may send a maximum one-page application to provost@uoguelph.ca by April 16, 2021 with the applicant’s name and title; affiliated college, department, program of study, etc.; a short description of the applicant’s interest in serving on the committee; and another short description of the applicant’s involvement or experience with sexual violence initiatives.
The application process encourages members of BIPOC or other equity-seeking communities as well as sexual violence survivors to self-identify so that the committee can represent “diverse lived experiences.”
Please visit www.theontarion.com/submit to find out how you can share your work with The Ontarion.