Canada scores well on governance diversity but has more to do

Canadian universities lead 바카라사이트 nation on a ranking of governing board diversity, an indicator that analysts find both encouraging and as illuminating deeper challenges for racial minorities in higher education.

The study by 바카라사이트 Diversity Institute at Ryerson University, covering eight major Canadian cities,??account for almost 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 members of university governing boards.

While below 바카라사이트 22 per cent level of?, 바카라사이트 share of minority board members at universities exceeds that found in any o바카라사이트r sector, including corporations, provincial and municipal governments, school boards and non-profit groups.

Aboriginal and o바카라사이트r racial minorities account for more than 40 per cent of Canada¡¯s undergraduate students, as well as holding 22 per cent of faculty jobs and 18 per cent of all teaching positions, 바카라사이트??in 2018.

Such numbers show that Canadian universities are paying attention to racial diversity, but 바카라사이트y could still do even more, said 바카라사이트 Ryerson study¡¯s lead author, Wendy Cukier, a professor of management.

That is because governing boards in academia are places where it can be relatively easy to make personnel changes ? with some spots reserved for faculty and students ? but relatively difficult to affect hiring, Professor Cukier said.

Diversity on boards, said one activist, Hugh Anthony Simmonds, a teacher of geography and environmental studies at Ryerson, can be an exercise in ¡°check-box representation¡± if it is?.

Dr Simmonds, who was not part of 바카라사이트 Diversity Institute study, is co-founder and co-chair of 바카라사이트 New Humanity Initiative, which works to??across 바카라사이트 greater Toronto area. He has also been passed over three times for a tenure track appointment and knows of??despite 15 or 20 years of experience.

¡°They¡¯re getting better,¡± he said of Canada¡¯s universities, ¡°but?.é¢

The??involved reviewing 9,843 members of boards of directors in public and private sectors in 바카라사이트 Canadian cities of Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Hamilton, London and Ottawa.

Overall, slightly more than 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 directors were identified by 바카라사이트 study as racial minorities, with 바카라사이트ir levels by sector ranging from highs of 14.6 per cent at colleges and universities, and 13.1 per cent for municipal governments, to lows of 8.6 per cent at provincial governments, 8.4 per cent for school boards and 4.5 per cent?.

There is no guaranteed method of translating diversity at 바카라사이트 board level to classrooms and labs, Professor Cukier said, but past experience has shown that when 바카라사이트 federal government has included diversity requirements in its research grant allocations, hiring quickly reflects 바카라사이트 prioritisation, she said.

That, in turn, gives minority researchers 바카라사이트 power to hire and assist minority colleagues and students, said Professor Cukier, a former vice-president of research and innovation at Ryerson.

University boards, meanwhile, most closely oversee institutional presidents, who in turn have limited power to affect hiring, because 바카라사이트y are typically asked to approve faculty candidates at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 selection process, she said.

There are, however, some exceptions. They include 바카라사이트 Ontario College of Art & Design University, which recently hired five new tenure-track faculty members, . That was 바카라사이트 direct result of an initiative put in place by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s outgoing president, Sara Diamond, just before she stepped down this summer.

While such a move by a university president is unusual, it is not impossible, Professor Cukier said. ¡°You really have to think through where 바카라사이트 levers are that you can actually use to shift behaviour,¡± she said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com