University-wide Employment Equity Census launches

As part of Canada’s third-most diverse city, it is important that UCalgary’s workforce reflects that of the wider Calgary community.

Today, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI), in partnership with Human Resources, launched a revised university-wide Employment Equity Census, available on the MyUCalgary portal. A primary aim is to understand UCalgary’s workforce demographics. It will enable us to identify and remove barriers that impede the ability of members of the campus community to thrive. The data will also inform our equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy, and will enable us to measure our progress toward achieving our institutional commitments.

All employees are asked to take part in the short Census regardless of if they have completed it before. The aggregated results will be reported on the EDI Dashboard, and in an annual report to the community. Responses are confidential.

The Census is accessible through the My UCalgary portal; visit the Employment Equity Census web page for further information on how to complete it.

“As one of Canada’s leading universities, and one of Alberta’s top employers, we strive to make the best hires — ones that are reflective of our wider community, and we know we need to do better on this measure. Please take time to complete our short Census so that we can create a baseline to access our progress and meet our commitments,” says Dr. Teri Balser, UCalgary’s provost and vice-president (academic).

This Census is critical to the work of ensuring an equitable, diverse and inclusive campus, says Dr. Malinda Smith, vice-provost and associate vice-president research (EDI). “The Census changes are responsive to our community’s calls for disaggregated data,” she says. “We need the data to provide a benchmark of our workforce composition, and how it compares with the wider community. The results will reveal our strengths, any employment gaps, as well as help us identify areas where we can improve.”

We recognize we need to do better. Responses will be analyzed and support data-informed and evidence-based decision-making. The university will be able to identify patterns and trends and address any obstacles that impede an individual’s success within UCalgary. We will use these data to create policies, processes and systems that remove barriers to participation. The data will also inform campus-wide initiatives to create equitable pathways to, and across, the campus community.

The Census is accessible at any time; however, responses are encouraged to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021, in order to be included in the 2021 EDI Dashboard.

For more information on the Employment Equity Census, visit the website or contact equity@ucalgary.ca.