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Equity and Diversity Council Terms of Reference

1 Status and role

(a) The Equity and Diversity Council shall be a Standing Committee of Council with responsibility for ensuring the sharing of information among the Working Groups and bringing to the attention of CAUT Council and the Executive Committee recommendations from the Working Groups for promoting equity and inclusivity on behalf of and within the Association.

(b) The Committee shall be responsible for identifying gaps in CAUT’s equity work and encouraging coordination of working group initiatives insofar as possible. 

(c) The Committee can make recommendations to Council and the Executive on policy matters relating to marginalized groups.


2 Composition

(a) The Committee shall be composed of ten members (including the 2 Persons Co-Chairing).

(b) Two members chosen by each of the following Working Groups shall serve on the Committee:

Women Academic Staff Working Group
Racialized Academic Staff Working Group
Academic Staff with Disabilities Working Group
Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgendered, Queer and 2-Spirited Working Group

(c) The term of the 2 Persons Co-Chairing the Committee shall normally be two years.

(d) The President shall be an ex officio member of the Committee. The Executive Director shall be a non-voting member of the Committee. The Executive Director shall designate staff to provide support to the Committee.


3 Functions

(a) To facilitate the sharing of information among the working groups as to ideas for policies, guidelines, model clauses, best practices, actions and campaigns in regards to marginalized academic staff.

(b) To review and comment upon policy proposed from other CAUT sources in light of equity and inclusivity concerns.


4 Selection of Diversity Council members

(a) Each Working Group will select 2 members from their Group to represent their Group on the Committee. 


5 Nomination and election procedures for persons to Co-Chair

(a) There shall be 2 Co-Chairs of the Committee. At least one shall be a woman.

(b) The persons to Co-Chair the Committee shall normally have served at least one year on one of the four above-named Working Groups. The Co-Chairs shall serve for the term indicated in section 2(c).

(c) The Co-Chairs of the Committee shall be elected by CAUT Council. The deadline for nomination shall be March 1 of the year that the incumbent's term expires. Any vacancy, howsoever occurring in the position of Co-Chair, shall be filled by Council electing a successor. Any person, so elected, shall hold office for the balance of the term of the office involved.


6 Mode of operation

(a) The Committee shall normally meet two times per year. There shall be provision for additional meetings by telephone conference call or in person, as the need determines.

(b) A quorum for meetings of the Committee is 50% of the voting members.


7 Reporting

(a) The Committee shall report regularly to the Executive and Council through its Co-Chairs.

(b) The Committee shall prepare a written report for the Spring meeting of Council.


Approved by Council, November 2011.