UVic named top diversity employer, 2017

For the sixth year running, the University of Victoria has been named one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers. Winners of the 2017 competition were announced on March 28.

UVic and Island Health are the only Victoria employers receiving the distinction. UVic is among seven Canadian post-secondary institutions being honoured. Sixty-five employers across the country were recognized for leadership in creating inclusive and diverse workplaces and attracting and retaining employees from diverse communities.

Among UVic's outstanding achievements cited by the judges was the establishment of the world's first Chair in Transgender Studies, to further research topics concerning the lives of trans and gender non-conforming people. UVic is also recognized for:

• its diversity writing contest, part of its annual diversity research forum;
• the Provost's Advocacy and Activism Awards; preservation of the history of pioneering activists, community leaders and researchers contributing to the betterment of transgender people through its archives and libraries;
• the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities, with improved accessibility and family change rooms; and
• CanAssist, a university organization that helps people with disabilities improve their lives.

UVic has been a leader in its inclusive hiring especially for Indigenous, visible minorities and women faculty and views recruitment, retention and promotion of equity group members as a priority.

"The University of Victoria takes a great deal of pride in being recognized for the sixth time as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers," says UVic Vice-President Academic and Provost Valerie Kuehne. "Our goal is to foster a welcoming environment across our university community and we strive every day to be supportive and inclusive to our students, staff and faculty."

The year ahead stands to be an important point in the evolution of UVic's advancement of its equity and diversity objectives. A recent review culminated in a decision to bring functions related to equity, human rights, diversity and the implementation of the new sexualized violence prevention and response policy together into one office, serving the needs of students, staff and faculty on campus. This decision provides the new director of this service with the opportunity to engage in a campus-wide consultation process to inform new community engagement structures that can best support our shared commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.