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Overview of the CRCP program

The Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) stands at the center of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top countries in research and development. By attracting and retaining a diverse array of world-class researchers, it reinforces academic research and training excellence in Canadian postsecondary institutions. Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences. They improve our depth of knowledge and quality of life, strengthen Canada’s international competitiveness, and help train the next generation of highly skilled people through student supervision, teaching, and the coordination of other researchers’ work.

The CRCP is committed to excellence in research and research training for the benefit of Canadians. Achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is also essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to seize opportunities and for responding to global challenges. The CRC Program’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Requirements and Practices are publicly available.

For more information about the Program’s commitments to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), please consult the following:

Bishop’s University Statement of Equity, Diversity & Excellence

Bishop’s University, as a place of higher education and a centre for academic inquiry, is built on strong values and principles. As a community of learning, the University has a responsibility not only to the intellectual development and academic support of its members, but also to the provision of a safe, equitable, and compassionate environment for all those who populate it. It is necessary for all members of the University community – from students to faculty to staff to administration to governors –to participate actively in the creation and maintenance of an environment free from discrimination of all kinds. In June 2020, the Board of Governors and Senate of Bishop’s University established a Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). The mandate of the EDI Task Force was to identify structural or systemic barriers, injustices and biases at the University and to make recommendations about any actions which it deems appropriate to dismantle these barriers and advance Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Bishop’s. The Task Force completed a report that was approved by Senate and the Board of Governors in Spring 2022. It is available on the EDI web page. In January 2022, a special advisor was hired to coordinate the development of an institutional EDI strategy and action plan.

Bishop’s University is committed to supporting a research ecosystem based on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). In addition to our support to the Dimensions Charter and the Canada Research Chair EDI Requirements and Practices, measures have been put in place internally to strengthen the integration of these principles (Also see Bishop’s Research Funding web page and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion web page). The Bishop’s University research community is strongly encouraged to consider Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in all aspects of their research activities and funding applications.

Allocation of all internal grants, scholarships and institutional funding at Bishop’s University undergo a competitive, peer-reviewed process adjudicated by the Senate Research Committee (SRC, for grants, undergraduate scholarships and institutional funding) or the Graduate Research Committee (GSC, for graduate scholarships). In order to ensure an unbiased review process, all members of those committees are invited to complete an EDI training, including the CRC Unconscious Bias Training Module. Both the SRC and the GSC are committed to promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research and ensure equitable access to internal funding opportunities for all researchers and students, either future or current. In our most recent cycle of competitions, we encourage applicants from minority groups and disadvantaged communities to self-identify. For scholarship competitions, applicants are also invited to explain how the funding would help them financially. Those choosing not to answer those questions are not at a disadvantage during adjudication, which is made clear with applicants in our internal application forms.

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About Bishop’s CRCs

Canada Research Chairs are held by tenure-stream faculty member at Bishop’s University. All Canada Research Chair positions are filled according to the Requirements for recruiting and nominating Canada Research Chairs. The university uses a full, open, and transparent process for recruiting applicants for Canada Research Chair positions, regardless of whether or not the process involves seeking internal candidates only, external candidates only, or a combination of the two.

Management of the allocation of chairs is the responsibility of the Vice-Principal Academic and Research who makes the final decision(s) on allocations. The Vice-Principal Academic and Research invites submissions for new or replacement Chairs and consults widely before making decision(s). An advisory committee is created by the Vice-Principal Academic and Research in order to allocate a Chair position in a particular research area. The committee is composed of four academic Deans and the Director of Research and Graduate Studies. The following factors figure in the decision-making process: The nature and size of various academic departments, priorities for faculty renewal and replacement, strategic areas of emphasis for research (as articulated in the university’s strategic plan for research), Bishop’s equity targets with regards to the CRC program requirements, and much more. This information, along with information about the specific nature of each (new) allocation, guides final selection in terms of where to strategically deploy chair allocations.

Recruitment advertisements provide full information about the program and the specific nature of the chair to be filled, and provide comprehensive information about the desire to seek qualified applicants from all backgrounds without restriction, also in accordance with current equity targets. All policies that govern the staffing of Canada Research Chairs at Bishop’s University are administered by Human Resources and the University’s collective agreements. It is acknowledged that these policies may change over time in response to the action plan on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Canada Research Chairs Renewal Process

It has been the university’s position and principle that a current chairholder who is eligible for renewal should be provided “right of first refusal” to renew; that is, the default starting position has been that a current chairholder is offered an opportunity to express and confirm interest in renewal as the end-date of their current position approaches. If the chairholder is interested, then an internal review process is used to determine if a renewal nomination is merited. It is also the university’s position and principle that every effort should be made to ensure that equity targets are filled, and that there is no lapse in filling or renewing chairs.

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Bishop’s CRC Utilization Table

This table outlines the number of Chair allocations at BU; those that are filled, with the names and term dates for each CRC, the type of flex moves used and unfilled allocations.

FlexAgencyUtilizationChairholderStart dateEnd dateActiveAllocated (Tier)Utilization (Tier)
0SSHRCSSHRC Genner Llanes-Ortiz  2/2/2022  1/31/2027  Yes22
2SPECIAL     1N/A (split)
0 SSHRCSunny Lau7/1/20216/30/2026Yes 2
0SPECIALNSERCRowe, Jason F7/1/20226/30/2027Yes 2
0SPECIALSSHRCLawford, Heather7/1/20186/30/2023Yes22
0SPECIALNSERCRuan, John1/1/202112/31/2025Yes22

Bishop’s Equity Target

All participating CRC institutions must set equity and diversity targets to address the under-representation of members of the four designated groups among their chair-holders. The CRC program uses this data to monitor the institution’s progress toward meeting their established targets. Bishop’s equity targets are indicated below. These targets are calculated using the CRC program target setting tool. Because there are a total of 5 Chair positions at Bishop’s (fewer than 5 in each category), current gap numbers cannot be communicated and are withheld to protect the privacy of our Chairs.

Bishop’s CRC Equity Target Setting Plan 2021-2029

Current CRC at Bishop’s

Currently, Bishop’s University holds five Canada Research Chairs:

Concerns about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Bishop’s

The Policy on the Prevention of Harassment lays out the University’s process for addressing and resolving concerns. Through this policy, each and every person who is part of the Bishop’s Community, regardless of their role, is called upon to play a prominent part in creating and promoting an environment that is free from harassment. This policy is interpreted in a manner that is consistent with the Civil Code of Quebec, the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, and the Act Respecting Labour Standards of Quebec.

If you have concerns, comments or questions related to equity, diversity and inclusion, please send them to the EDI Office by completing the Contact the EDI Office form available on the EDI Office web page. This feedback form can be completed anonymously. Concerns or questions sent through this form will be reviewed by the EDI Special Advisor, who will then consult with the proper institutional body to ensure the matter is dealt with in the appropriate fashion. The EDI Special Advisor reports to the Secretary General (see Contact below), who is in charge of reporting systemic issues to the executive committee and ensuring concerns are addressed.

If a member of the University Community believes that they have suffered some form of injustice, they can contact the University Ombuds Office. After examining the factual basis of these complaints and determining that all normal avenues of recourse and appeal have been exhausted, the Ombudsperson investigates these complaints and facilitates their solution either using existing procedures, both informal and formal, or by recommending changes to the existing procedures.

Contact

If you have questions or concerns related to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Bishop’s University, please contact Denise Lauzière, Interim Secretary General, Chief of Staff, Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor and Responsible for the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (denise.lauziere@ubishops.ca).