PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

McMaster has a vision to achieve international distinction for creativity, innovation and excellence as a research-intensive, student-centred university. In committing to that vision, we are also focused on the promotion of inclusive excellence, recognizing the critical role that diversity of identity, background and perspective play in harnessing creativity and innovation, and the importance of building inclusive and collegial teams within our community.

McMaster strives to support all members of our community in feeling valued and respected for their contributions to our shared mission and goals. Our institutional EDI Framework and Strategic Action Plan guides this work by laying out six key themes and articulating short-term, mid-term and long-term priorities in each case. The themes focus on communication, evidence-based EDI planning and decision-making, inclusivity and inter-disciplinarity in curricula and scholarship, EDI leadership training and development, equity group consultation and support, and recruitment and retention among equity groups.

This critically important work is being led by the Equity and Inclusion Office, together with Human Resources Services, the Provost’s Office, Students Affairs and many others across our campus. This will be a priority for McMaster for the foreseeable future as we seek to increase the representation of groups that have been historically under-represented or under-served by our University, remove biases and inequities within our systems and processes to support participation, and build a sense of community and belonging on our campus.

Our focus on diversity is an institution-wide effort which challenges us to consider the ways that we attract, engage and support our students, faculty and staff, apply a critical lens to our organizational structures and processes, innovate within our research and academic programs, and foster a community ethos and approach that is based on dignity, respect and inclusion for all. In this work to foster a diverse campus community and create enhanced pathways and improved supports for underrepresented groups, we are also advancing our goals of research and learning excellence, and engaging with and supporting the broader community of which McMaster is a part.

Our goals and aspirations to be a welcoming and inclusive community that prizes respect, collaboration and diversity is a collective responsibility and can only be achieved with the commitment and support of the entire community. I am optimistic about the impact of our focus on inclusive excellence, and the outcomes that can be delivered as a result of our EDI Framework and Strategic Action Plan, and I call on all members of our community to support the implementation and advancement of these important goals.

I look forward to all that we can achieve as we work together to promote equity, diversity and inclusivity across our entire community.

Dr. David Farrar
President and Vice-Chancellor