University Council on Anti-Racism and Equity

The University Council on Anti-Racism and Equity (UCARE) was established to coordinate, monitor, and report on the progress of university-wide initiatives to address racism and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. The Council helps to shape the vision and strategy of the university and serves as a critical voice for diversity and inclusion at Queen’s.

UCARE maintains at least 51% representation from racialized groups and includes faculty, staff, student, senior administration, alumni, and community representatives. The broad scope of the UCARE membership ensures that actions taken to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion align with the needs of the university community.

UCARE helps shape the vision and strategy of the university by:

Promoting and supporting efforts by the university that foster a diverse and inclusive campus community
Monitoring the implementation of the PICRDI recommendations and progress of other anti-racism and equity initiatives
Identifying and making recommendations regarding persistent obstacles to progress on diversity and inclusion (i.e. factors associated with attracting and retaining racialized students, staff, and faculty), including those related to resources, organizational structures, policies, protocols, and processes
Facilitating synergies amongst complementary initiatives within the university, and identifying opportunities for collaboration external to the university
Establishing sub-councils and working groups as needed to advance particular initiatives
Coordinating communication with the wider Queen’s community
Preparing an annual report of its activities, to be submitted for information to the Senate, the Board of Trustees, and to the wider Queen’s community

Sub-Councils

Student Recruitment, Support and Success - Chaired by Kandice Baptiste
Inclusive Community - Chaired by Lavonne Hood
Academic and Curricular Diversity - Chaired by Gavan Watson
Faculty and Staff Recruitment, Retention and Support - Chaired by Lavonne Hood

Vacancy on UCARE

UCARE Application Form

Selection Process for Membership (MS WORD 20 KB)

Public Meetings

Public meetings for 2024/2025 are:

January 13, 2025
March 10, 2025

All meetings are from 4:00 to 5:30 (unless noted otherwise)

Please email vpcei@queensu.ca to attend the Public Meeting

Name	Title
Y. Baninla	Staff
Y. Chen	Staff
J. Chin	Chair, Senate Educational Equity Committee
S. Chowdhury	Alumni and Community Member (Co-Chair)
M. Evans	Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)
K. Fevier	Faculty
B. George	Alumni and Community Member
VACANT	Associate Vice-Principal (Indigenous Initiatives)
L. Hood	Associate Vice-Principal (Human Rights and Equity)
M. Joneja	Faculty
J. Amer	AMS Commissioner of Social Issues
C. Berry	Graduate Student
R. Inikori	UG Student
N. Saleh	Faculty
T. Shearer	Principal's Delegate
S. Simpson	Vice-Principal (Culture, Equity, and Inclusion) (Co-Chair)
A. Tierney	Vice-Provost and Dean (Student Affairs)
N. Barrett	Ombudsperson
S. Venigalla	Staff
K. Zucconi	SGPS Student
J. Christie	Executive Director, VPCEI (Secretary)

Member Terms

New or renewed appointments will be made for 1 or 2-year terms to maintain continuity within the membership of UCARE from year to year. All appointments are renewable for a second term.

Nominating Committee

A UCARE Nominating Committee comprised of two university administrators and two members-at-large (faculty, staff, student, or community member/alumni) from its membership will solicit the campus and Kingston/alumni communities to fill any vacancies on UCARE before the end of the second semester of each academic year.

Appointments will be made by letter of invitation from the Vice-Principal (Culture, Equity and Inclusion), based on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee, as endorsed by the UCARE.

Meetings

UCARE will normally meet three times per calendar year. Faculty, staff, and students of Queen’s University are welcome to attend UCARE meetings as guests.

Any request for time on the UCARE agenda should be made in advance of the meeting to the Co-Chairs.

Composition

Principal (or designate)
Provost and Vice Principal (Academic)
AVP Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (or designate)
AVP Indigenous Initiatives (or designate)
Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs (or designate)
Chair, Senate Educational Equity Committee
AMS Social Affairs Commissioner
SGPS Equity and Diversity Commissioner
Ombudsperson
Manager, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, City of Kingston (Observer)
Three faculty members
Three staff members
Three students (including one undergraduate and two graduate, international or professional student)
Two members of the Kingston community or alumni (ensuring representation from both Alumni and Community)

UCARE will maintain at least 51% representation from racialized groups.

Co-Chairs, as selected by UCARE members, include a university administrator and a member at large (faculty, staff, student or community member/alumni).

Invitation to Serve

When vacancies occur, UCARE will invite nominations to serve as an undergraduate student member of the Council, and nomination deadlines will be posted.

Application Form
Information on how applications are evaluated (PDF, 72.8 KB)

UCARE Governance and Nominating Sub-Council Terms of Reference (PDF 356.5KB)

Annual Report 2022-2023 (PDF 535.3 KB)

Annual Report 2020-2021 (PDF 215 KB)

Annual Report 2019-2020 (PDF 505 KB)

Annual Report 2018-19 (PDF 364 KB)

Sub-Council Employment Equity (PDF 671 KB)

Sub-Council Student Success (PDF 746)

Sub-Council Inclusive Community (PDF 671)

Sub-Council Teaching and Learning (PDF 650)

UCARE Minutes January 8, 2024 (PDF 223.2 KB)

UCARE Minutes March 6, 2023 (PDF 1.2 MB)