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President's Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC)

October 2, 2019 – Agenda and Minutes

President’s Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC)

Wednesday October 2, 2019 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Gilmour Hall, Room 111 (Council Chambers)

AGENDA

  1. Welcome and Introductions (15 min)
  2. Adoption of May 2019 Minutes (5 min)
  3. EDI Strategy Update – Arig al Shaibah (20 min)
  4. Post-its: Hopes, expectations, questions (10 minutes)
  5. Brief Presentation and Round table Discussion – Freedom of Expression, Protest and Dissent (45 min)
  6. PACBIC Members & Working Groups – Updates (20 min)
  7. Announcements (5 min)
  8. Adjournment

Members Present: Ameil Joseph (Co-Chair), Arig al Shaibah (Co-Chair), Grace Pollock (Vice-Chair, Staff) Anne Pottier, Vanessa Watts, Amber Dean, Andy Crowell, Juliet Daniel, Karen Sutton, Tanya Rumble, Shelley Porteous, Lynne Serviss, Sashaina Singh, Esra Bengizi, Sujane Kandasamy, Joanne Buckley, Sarah Cairns, May-Marie Duwai-Sowa, Wanda McKenna, Jordan Carrier, Rosanne Kent, Jim McAndrew, Joanne Buckley

Member Regrets: Amber Dean, Karen Arnott, Yimeng Yang

Equity and Inclusion Office: Kate Brown (regrets), Craig Foye, Chelsea Gibson, Joan Johnson (minutes), Pilar Michaud, Tolulope Ojo, Meaghan Ross (regrets), Vilma Rossi, Khadijeh Rakie

Community Members Present: Patrick Deane, Esme Davies, Carolyn Brendon, Andrea Cole, Kaitlin Debicki, Ayokunnumi Osinowo, Carrie Welland, Kojo Damptey

Guests: Nick Chambers, Boyden Executive Search, Anita Acai – member, Committee to Recommend a President

1) Welcome and Introductions
Ameil opened the meeting by acknowledging that McMaster University sits on the traditional territories of the Mississauga and Haudenosaunee Nations, and within the lands protected by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement(ref: IEC May 2016). Participants were then invited to introduce themselves and their affiliation with the University.

2) Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of April 4, 2019 were approved, as previously circulated.

3) Guest: Dr. Patrick Deane, President
Dr. Deane attended PACBIC for his annual meeting. He thanked Dr. Ameil Joseph, outgoing faculty co-chair, for his contributions to PACBIC over the year, and he made some brief opening remarks before opening the floor for PACBIC comments and questions.

4) EDI Strategy Update – Arig al Shaibah
The EDI update was not presented due to time constraints.

5) Guest: Nick Chambers, Boyden Executive Search Consultant
The Committee to Recommend a President is in the stakeholder consultation phase of the search for a President at this time. The PACBIC’s input will go into creating a profile for the President search and prepare the search committee to ask the questions of potential candidates. The following are the steps for hiring:

i. Develop candidate profile,

ii. Market and outreach to candidates,

iii. Invite candidates to apply for the role,

iv. Engage in interviewing,

v. Look at background, published items, public presentations,

vi. Present a long list to the Committee to Recommend a President

vii. Committee decides who will be interviewed,

viii. Conduct multi round interviews with written assignments etc.

The following are questions asked of and engaged by the PACBIC:

• How would you describe McMaster? Answers: inclusive community; build on inclusive excellence; forward with integrity letter; values diversity

• What strengths should McMaster build upon? Answers: resource initiatives such as equity; diversity and inclusion; community engagement; continue the culture shift; continue with poverty initiatives

• What challenges will there be stepping into the role of President?
Answers: there is a disconnect between the walk and talk in terms of diversity. What are the plans for building up reconciliation with Indigenous community and continuing this work? How would the President think about the university beyond branding (intellectual landscape). Dismantle attitudes about the importance of some faculties versus another and value all faculty members/research; building multi-disciplinary research opportunities; valuing community based research

• What characteristics should the search committee be looking for?
Answers: looking for diversity of the candidate who prioritizes engagement with all communities on campus; transparency with the communities; demonstrate experience in equity and inclusion, respecting diversity that exists within McMaster; proactive instead of reactive; experience working within community; disciplines that tend to the need of equity seeking groups have less gravitas than other disciplines and it will be important that the new

President would see the importance of all disciplines; good listener; human piece is important to the role; committed to relationship building and building relationships with the city of Hamilton; empathy; withhold judgement and be willing to hear both sides; continue ethical relationships regardless of outcomes; grounded and inspirational; humility; bold, courageous leader, forward thinker.

6) PACBIC Members & Working Groups – Updates & Reports

7) Announcements

8) Adjournment and Next Meeting

The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 pm. The next meeting will be in Fall 2019.

Please send regrets to pacbic@mcmaster.ca