University of Ottawa | Five positions reserved for racialized or Indigenous candidates

The University of Ottawa has created five positions reserved for racialized or Indigenous applicants in 2021-2022, with the aim of “addressing the under-representation of certain groups within the faculty”, learned The Press.

Lea Carrier
The Press

Last November, the University of Ottawa posted a professorship in public law intended only for racialized or indigenous candidates. This call for applications is reminiscent of the one launched by Laval University which, de facto excluding any non-disabled white man, made a lot of waves this week.

In the posting, the University of Ottawa says it is complying with the law school’s and the institution’s “equity, diversity and inclusion plan”, “which aims to address the under- representation of racialized or indigenous people within its faculty”.

“Individuals who wish to be considered part of these groups are asked to self-identify,” it says.

By email, the University of Ottawa indicates that it has created five positions reserved for racialized or Indigenous candidates in 2021-2022. ” [L’objectif est que] the faculty reflects the student population it is called upon to serve and to whom it serves as role models,” explains the institution’s spokesperson, Isabelle Mailloux.

This week, Université Laval found itself at the heart of a controversy following the posting of a position within its Canada research chair in biology, in which it was specified that only women, Aboriginal people, people with disabilities or members of a visible minority would be considered.

Unlike the University of Ottawa, which wishes to meet its own targets, Université Laval had established its selection criteria in order to achieve the representation targets required for Canada Research Chairs, a program funded by the federal government.

The display, shared by humorist Guy Nantel on Twitter, sparked a lively debate on positive discrimination.

Politicians of all banners, including the Deputy Premier of Quebec, Geneviève Guilbault, were indignant, judging the call for candidates exaggerated or even discriminatory.

“Strong support” from teachers

The president of the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa, Susan Spronk, said she noticed “strong support” from her members for these kinds of measures aimed at diversifying the faculty.

The collective agreement also allows preferential hiring, when the university deems it appropriate.

“The central question is whether we have a faculty that reflects Canadian society,” said Ms.^me Spronk. The union does not have access to data on the groups with which its members identify, “information which is confidential”, she explained.

As to whether this kind of display arouses discomfort among some teachers, Ms.^me Spronk replies that “it’s a conversation that sometimes creates conversations, but there is an openness to the ways of reflecting the Canadian community”.

“Postings that are as limited as that, to my knowledge, I have not seen any,” says Luc Angers, vice-president of the Association of part-time professors of the University of Ottawa.

Mr. Angers says he understands the university wanting to diversify its faculty, but wonders about the process chosen to achieve this. “We want the best candidate, with the most experience,” he argues.