Tuesday January 25, 2022 - DEIA Meeting Minutes

McMaster University Libraries Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee 

Tuesday, January 25, 2022 

11:00am – 12:30pm 

MS Teams

Meeting Minutes

Minutes

Present: J. An, L. Banfield, G. Dunks, K. Jamieson, V. Lewis (Chair), P. Maylott, J. McKinnell C. Nicol, A. Pottier, S. Rakovac, L. Serviss. 
Regrets: None Minute 
Taker: M. Hotson

  1. Welcome (V. Lewis)

  • Faith Ogunkoya (Manager, Black Student Success) and Clare Warner (Senior Advisor, Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism) will join the March 8th, 2022 DEI Committee meeting.
  • Consideration to refreshing the mandate of group and structure – what is the future plan?
  • VP, Equity will create an EDI and anti racism network/focus group across campus – would sub group leaders be interested in participating?
  • Can HSL be represented at the group?

 

  1. Update: Indigenous Matters subgroup (G. Dunks)

  • UL/HSL hosting regular reading groups with main focus being staff education.
  • Working through Indigenous Canada MOOC (created by Indigenous academics) to build base line knowledge.
  • Group will partner with UL SLDC in February for Week of Learning that will include session with Manitok Thompson, Executive Director - Inuit Broadcasting Corporation
  • March marks 3 years for this subgroup – several committee members (including chair) are looking to step down in order to transition to other roles and focus on other projects.
  • Noted that work plan and structure to be reviewed – does this group fit within the diversity lens?

 

  1. One Minute Wellness Break (S. Rakovac)

  2. Working Group Updates

 

  a. Recruitment (K. Jamieson)

  • Group has taken a step back to evaluate the structure of report & review recommendations.
  • Met yesterday to review voting results of recommendations to include in report – noted that some recommendations were duplicating work already being done.
  • Report structure will evolve based on recommendations and will include main body, and 2 appendices’ that will note recommendations for central HR and include a of items discussed but not included in report.
  • Report anticipated to be complete by end of March 2022.

 

  b. Inclusive Culture (P. Maylott)

  • Review of subgroup mandate involved narrowing of scope & working document (including goals)
  • Noted limitations include scope of project and time limitations
  • What questions could foster further discussion, could data be collected through survey or personal experience discussions?
  • Final paper will include productive avenues to explore (i.e. mentorship, job shadowing) and include suggestions around safe methods for employees to offer input and customized onboarding process that is based on specific background of each new hire.
  • Reminder to CARL survey/census around diversity and inclusion) – data will be released shortly.
  • Report anticipated to be complete by early February.

 

   c. Staff DEI Learning (J. An)

  • Group has met with Equity & Inclusion Office to discuss services provided.
  • Subgroup will focus on protected rights code and protected grounds; group will narrow it down to relevant topics.
  • Preliminary information has been gathered and a draft Lib Guide created – will share with DEI group for input. Consider - should this resource be available to library staff or more broadly?
  • Subgroup will provide recommendations to UL SLDC on learning areas to consider – possible group session/presentation through EIO?
  • Question: does the DEI committee want the subgroup to work with the SLDC, or will the DEI committee focus on these priority areas & initiatives?
  • Subgroup output will include Lib Guide and recommendations to DEI committee.

 

   d. Security Incidents (A. Pottier)

  • Subgroup project statement has been determined; current/best practices, policies and procedures reviewed – will include EDI lens with recommendations.
  • Determining specific questions to ask, timeline TBD
  • Group has considered types of incidents personally experience – categorized based on incident, identified frequency and how they were responded to – was anything missed, where can we improve? (noted that Services staff helped identify areas missed - staff are now working across Library spaces). Do categories of low/medium/high indicate risk factor or frequency, is there a timeframe to data collected?
  • Will reach out to security for areas of improvement – how would they have better dealt with a specific incident? Can a ‘non-specific’ update on incidents reported be provided to Library staff? Reminder that ‘security incidents’ do not imply the presence of security in the building.
  • Recommendations will include training sessions for new staff (refreshers) with specific areas to focus on. Noted that conflict de-escalation training for Services staff would be beneficial. Consider turnover within security staff – is there training that could be recommended for new hires?
  • HSL is not represented on subgroup as security is handled differently with their space. HSL documents (internally) all incidents reported to security and records each time security enters Library space.

 

Next Meeting: March 8th 2022 10:00am – 11:30am MS Teams