Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research

The Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) is dedicated to achieving research excellence in Canada by supporting world-class researchers at Canadian universities. St. Thomas University nominates scholars to this program in accordance with our Strategic Research Plan 2019-2024, and currently hosts the following Canada Research Chairs:

Kristi Allain, PhD – Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Physical Culture and Social Engagement
Matthew Hayes, PhD – Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Global and Transnational Studies

Previous Canada Research Chairs at STU were:

Clive Baldwin, PhD – Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Narrative Studies
Susan Machum, PhD – Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Rural Social Justice
Anthony Tremblay, PhD – Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in New Brunswick Studies
Deborah van den Hoonaard, PhD – Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Qualitative Analysis

Our Commitment

St. Thomas University is committed to the principles and best practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and we strive to apply these principles not only to our participation in the Canada Research Chairs Program, but to our research mandate more broadly. In our hiring practices, we are committed to employment equity for women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities. We recognize that a more diverse scholarly community enhances our research capacity and potential for research excellence. We acknowledge that the land on which St. Thomas University is situated is the unceded traditional territory of the Wolastoqiyik, whose ancestors, together with the Mi’kmaw and Peskotomuhkati, signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with the British Crown in the 1700s.

Raising Awareness of EDI

St. Thomas University recognizes the importance of raising awareness of EDI issues on campus, and of keeping our community informed on the specific, measurable actions that we are taking to counter biases, inequities, and systemic barriers. To that end, we have implemented the following strategies and actions:

Creation of an Interim Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to oversee collaboration, discussion, goal setting, and action planning with regard to EDI
Beginning the development of our first EDI Action Plan
Engagement with faculty and staff about EDI issues through websites, email communications, workshops, and public fora
Dissemination of an annual update to the University outlining progress toward achieving our EDI goals

EDI Resources

Institutional Responsibility, Questions, and Concerns

At St. Thomas University, responsibility for EDI matters is shared between the Vice-President (Academic and Research) and the Director of Human Resources.

Responsibility for EDI matters related to research, including the CRC program, is shared among the Vice-President (Academic and Research), the Associate Vice-President (Research), the Office of Research Services, and the Director of Human Resources.

All questions or concerns pertaining to EDI matters can be directed to any of those offices, depending upon the nature of the concern. We treat all such inquiries with strict confidence and endeavour to manage them through to a satisfactory resolution. Records of reported concerns and steps taken to address them will be kept by the Associate Vice-President (Research), and reported to the Vice-President (Academic & Research), Vice-President (Finance & Administration), and the President. The Interim Advisory Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will provide advice on EDI strategies and best practices.

EDI Targets and Gaps

All universities participating in the Canada Research Chairs Program are required to set EDI targets that will address under-representation of the four equity-seeking groups among CRC holders. Institutional EDI targets for all Canadian universities can be found HERE.

St. Thomas University’s equity target plan can be viewed HERE. Information on STU’s equity targets and gaps can be found HERE.

** Because St. Thomas University has fewer than five Chairs, and for the purpose of protecting privacy, actual representation and target gaps cannot be reported.

Policies Governing Staffing of CRCs

St. Thomas University adheres to all of the policies of the Canada Research Chair Program with regard to allocation, recruitment, nomination, renewal, and ongoing administration, and follows the procedures outlined in the Chairs Administration Guide

Additionally, the staffing of CRCs at St. Thomas University are governed by the Collective Agreements - Full Time Faculty (2022-25).

Canada Research Chair Allocation, Utilization, and Postings

The Canada Research Chair Program determines STU’s CRC allocation through a regular allocation exercise. Our most recent utilization spreadsheet can be found HERE.

When Chair vacancies occur, the University uses its Strategic Research Plan 2019-2024 to identify priority areas for new nominations.

St. Thomas University follows the Canada Research Chair Program’s requirements for recruiting and nominating Canada Research Chairs.

Current internal CRC advertisements at STU

There are no current internal positions being advertised at this time.

Current external CRC advertisements at STU

There are no current external positions being advertised at this time.

Previous internal CRC advertisements at STU

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair

Previous external CRC advertisements at STU

The Indigenous Studies Canada Research Chair

St. Thomas University currently has no transparency statements pertaining to Tier 1 third-term nominations or to emergency retention nominations.