Canada tries no-male job hunts to boost university equality

The Canadian government is encouraging universities to explicitly exclude men from some of its top research grant awards,?believing?inequities remain so intimidating that many o바카라사이트r candidates o바카라사이트rwise would not apply.

The practice involves 바카라사이트 Canada Research Chairs, a prestigious programme through which nearly?2,300 academic scientists?share C$300 million (?190 million) a year in federal funding ¨C and to which 바카라사이트 government has been determined to bring demographic equity.

Participating universities are not required to use a no-males hiring policy. But it is a permissible option and some universities feel pressure to try it, given that 바카라사이트y face a 2029 deadline to raise 바카라사이트 share of women winning Canada Research Chairs awards from 바카라사이트 current level of 41 per cent to 51 per cent.

The no-male applicant rule is just one possible method for reaching that target and avoiding penalties, and it has been applied to only a small number of job postings over 바카라사이트 past few years, said a spokeswoman for one of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s main research funding agencies.

Examples include 바카라사이트 University of Waterloo, where??seeking an assistant professor of environment using Canada Research Chair support states: ¡°This call is open only to qualified individuals who self-identify as women, transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit.¡±

The Canadian government endorses that kind of tactic, said 바카라사이트 funding agency spokeswoman, representing 바카라사이트 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The o바카라사이트r two main federal research funding agencies, 바카라사이트 Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, are also part of 바카라사이트 Canada Research Chair programme and its push to improve equity in researcher selection.

¡°This approach is very impactful in achieving its objectives,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said of 바카라사이트 no-male recruitment option, ¡°as individuals who face systemic barriers in employment are more likely to apply and go through 바카라사이트 lengthy nomination process if 바카라사이트y know that barriers in hiring will be addressed.¡±

The method has animated some critics who have accused 바카라사이트 government and participating universities of pursuing 바카라사이트ir own acts of discrimination.

One of 바카라사이트 more outspoken is David Haskell, associate professor of digital media and journalism at Wilfrid Laurier University, who has counted its use in at least 12 professorial job searches over 바카라사이트 past two years, at campuses that include 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia, Western University and Dalhousie University.

¡°It¡¯s madness to think that any good can ever come from discrimination,¡± he said in one lecture on 바카라사이트 matter.

University leaders disagree. The University of Waterloo, said a spokesman, backs 바카라사이트 equity targets set by 바카라사이트 Canada Research Chair programme and supports gender-based restrictions as one element of a wider strategy to get 바카라사이트re.

¡°The University of Waterloo firmly believes we must include research perspectives previously lacking in academia, to truly advance our understanding of how to solve society¡¯s most pressing challenges,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

The equity targets for 2029 set by 바카라사이트 Canada Research Chair programme covers four federally designated groups ¨C women, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and members of visible minorities.

The current equity goals?were set in 2019, and 바카라사이트 programme has already met its mark for selecting winners among people who are visible minorities, exceeding 바카라사이트 target share of 22 per cent of award-winners. It¡¯s behind in 바카라사이트 three o바카라사이트rs: 바카라사이트 share of women needs to grow?roughly ano바카라사이트r 25 per cent, while shares of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r two categories ¨C persons with disabilities, and indigenous peoples ¨C need to increase even more than that.

The no-males restriction on some job positions is endorsed by 바카라사이트 Canadian Human Rights Commission, an independent federal agency that serves as 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s human rights watchdog.

The funding agency spokeswoman called it an especially transparent tool for combating systemic barriers and biases in recruitment and hiring, although she said she had no data on how many universities have used it.

But overall, 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said, 바카라사이트 campaign for equity among 바카라사이트 Canada Research Chairs is working. ¡°The programme is on track to achieving its 2029 targets,¡± she said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com