SEPH EDIC will provide leadership and advice on how SEPH can promote, incorporate, and optimize principles of equity, diversity, and inclusivity into its strategic and operational education, research and core business plans.

SEPH EDIC is asked to consider EDI issues broadly with special consideration to populations for whom systemic and structural barriers impede access, voice, and justice including Black people, Indigenous people, members of other racialized groups; women; people from LGBTQQIP2SAA communities; people with disabilities; people living in poverty; and other marginalized groups.

Informed by, and aligned with, the rules, policies, and strategic plans of the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine, and SEPH, the Inaugural SEPH EDIC will have a one-year mandate to complete four key tasks.

Immediate Actions and Opportunities

The Inaugural SEPH EDIC will identify and advise on the delivery and evaluation of activities for quick implementation that reflect meaningful steps forward to the larger EDI agenda. This includes the development of the SEPH-LAST Iceberg Colloquium series.

Recommendation Report

The Inaugural SEPH EDIC will create an actionable recommendations document that provides a blueprint of medium- and longer-term goals and pathways that can provide a sustainable EDI strategy. This will include:

• Recommendations and resources on how EDI content could be better incorporated into: 1) Program Learning Objectives (PLOs), and 2) into existing courses offered by SEPH (PHRAM, epidemiology and public health).
• Recommendations on additional non-course educational opportunities that SEPH should offer to enhance EDI content and pedagogy. This may include special lectures series, colloquia, micro-training modules on EDI and topical issues such as microaggressions.
• Recommendations on strategies SEPH will use to encourage greater diversity in the membership of its community (students, faculty, and staff).
• Recommendations on how SEPH will be a more inclusive and safe community for all of its members.
• Recommendations on improving transparency and expectations about funding for prospective and current graduate students
• Recommendations on the advocacy role of the SEPH EDIC within and outside of the University of Ottawa
• Recommendations on resources needed to support the EDI standing committee

Terms of Reference Standing Committee

The Inaugural SEPH EDIC will develop a terms of reference for a formal standing SEPH EDIC committee that can be implemented upon the completion of their year. This will include recommendations regarding the duration of terms for members, and renewal and rotation of members, while maintaining continuity.

Chairs

• Co-Chaired by one SEPH faculty member and one graduate student representative

Student Representatives

• Three graduate student representatives: At least one from the Epidemiology program and one from the MPH program (chosen by the students via the SEPH Graduate Student Association)

Faculty Representatives 

• SEPH Director
• SEPH Faculty of Medicine EDI representative
• Program Development Committee Chair
• Program Director (or their designate) from each of Epidemiology and Master of Public Health
• Two faculty members at large (Note: Individuals from populations for whom systemic and structural barriers impede access, voice, and justice will be sought and encouraged to apply)

Staff Representative

• One SEPH Staff member

The SEPH EDIC will collaborate and communicate with the FoM EDI Office and its leadership and other leaders at the university.

The SEPH EDIC is encouraged to consult with the wider SEPH and Ottawa community to meet their objectives. This may include establishing working groups, offering town halls, and qualitative and quantitative methods (surveys, focus groups, etc.) to better capture the opinions, ideas and experiences of the SEPH community to inform their work.

Meetings will take place monthly beginning July 2020. The co-Chairs have the prerogative to cancel meetings if there is insufficient business.

At the first meeting of the year, the SEPH EDIC will reflect on the terms of reference, the scope of the remit, and the uOttawa context.

There will be a monthly update of SEPH EDIC business at the SEPH School Assembly. The GSA representatives will determine the best method of updating SEPH students.

The SEPH EDIC will present a draft of the Recommendations Report (task 2) at the April 2021 School Assembly for discussion and the final version of the Recommendations Report will be presented at the June 2021 School Assembly.

The SEPH EDIC will present the Terms of Reference (task 3) for the standing EDIC committee at the May 2021 School Assembly.