President's Awards for the Advancement of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility
At Dalhousie, we believe that equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility are fundamental to education and employment, and therefore, are essential institutional strategic priorities. To support our collective community efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, Dalhousie University is pleased to present the President’s Awards for the Advancement of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA).
The award is in recognition of Dalhousie’s EDIA core values and framework (5.2) and inseparable from the university’s strategic plan.
There are three categories:
- A faculty/staff individual award
- A faculty/staff group award
- A student individual/or group award
The President’s EDIA Awards recognizes the outstanding efforts in advancing equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility at Dalhousie. See Terms of Reference [PDF - 165kB]
What makes someone an EDIA Awardee recipient?
- They demonstrate an understanding that a commitment to EDIA means focusing on dismantling the unjust structures that systematically marginalize or exclude some while privileging and advantaging others.
- They work consistently to promote an inclusive campus community at Dal.
- They demonstrate an ongoing commitment to EDIA.
- They go "above and beyond" what would normally be expected of their portfolios to accomplish said objectives.
- They should be able to clearly connect their extraordinary work/volunteer time to their efforts to advance EDIA
Who is eligible?
Nominations are welcomed and encouraged for individuals and groups in all University areas. Groups can be a formal or an informal organization, unit, department, or faculty. Nominations must refer to activities that occurred in the academic year 2021-2022. Prior winners cannot be nominated again in the same category.
Criteria
Nominations must describe how the individual or group demonstrated exceptional and creative achievement in advancing equity, diversity and/or inclusiveness and be linked to one or more of the Four Pillars of Dalhousie’s Diversity and Inclusiveness Strategy
Climate and Intergroup Relations
- Examples:
- Promotes a welcoming, respectful and inclusive learning or working environment on campus
- Increases EDI outreach, collaboration, partnerships and learning programs to initiate and strengthen relations with communities, including through community service
Student Access and Success
- Examples:
- Improves educational equity, access and retention to academic programs for historically underrepresented or underserved students.
- Building community, creating spaces for care, growth, and development (mentorship, other types of support, creating safe spaces, etc.)
Education and Research
- Examples:
Improves teaching or research about equity, diversity and inclusion in any academic discipline or across disciplines - Integrates a diverse lens into the course and/or research, including in the STEM fields
- Secures grant funding for EDIA initiatives
- Developing and working on research that benefits and seeks to uplift historically under-represented groups.
Institutional Viability and Vitality (Structures)
- Examples:
- Improves recruitment or retention of historically under-represented or underserved faculty and staff
- Improves University systems, structures, policies, or practices to better support equity, diversity and inclusiveness
- Improves process for monitoring, assessing, or reporting on equity, diversity and inclusiveness
- Provides a critical lens on institutional practices or histories that might serve to reinforce inequities
Additional factors
- Examples:
- Creativity and innovation in approach, design, collaboration, implementation of the EDIA initiatives
- Positive outcomes in achieving greater equity and/or inclusiveness within the University, our local community and/or nationally
- Engagement of diverse people
- Tangible benefits to campus life
Process
The deadline for nominations is now closed.
Nominations must include the nomination form and a maximum of three supporting statements, one of which should be written by a Dalhousie nominator (between 250 and 1000 words each).
Please email nomination packages to vpei@dal.ca and include ‘EDIA Award Nomination’ in the subject line.
Questions?
Please contact the Office of the Vice-Provost, Equity & Inclusion at vpei@dal.ca.