The EDI First Responders Program
The Max Bell School of public policy is committed to providing a respectful and inclusive learning experience for all students. To help achieve this goal, the School has established the EDI First Responder’s Program which aims to provide a safe space for students, faculty, and staff to comfortably disclose concerns related to harassment, discrimination, or other equity issues as a result of belonging to an equity-seeking group.
What is an EDI First Responder?
EDI First Responders are confidential, informal, independent, and impartial focal points in the School, accessible to all members of the Max Bell community. To support the disclosure, EDI First Responders will:
● listen without judging, build a connection, and foster empowerment
● provide options for resolving and managing the concern
● act as an informal facilitator or assist the discloser in escalating the concern to formal support mechanisms provided by McGill University
● keep communication confidential, unless the person who brings the disclosure grants permission or the First Responder identifies a serious health and safety risk
The Process
Disclosures will be handled in a way that best supports the person making the disclosure. They will be the ones to lead the process. The process for disclosures is as follows:
1. Disclosures can be made by email, on MS Teams, by phone, or at an in-person or virtual meeting.
2. The EDI First Responders will receive the inquiry, assess the situation, and may provide the person who has made the disclosure with initial options.
3. If the person who has made the disclosure would prefer to meet, the EDI First Responder will schedule a meeting to provide further support.
4. The EDI First Responders will talk through options and may have to assist in conflict resolution or addressing other concerns. After understanding their range of options, the person who has made the disclosure can choose the course of action that best supports them.
5. Where appropriate, the EDI First Responders may provide referrals to formal university complaint and mediation mechanisms and services including to the Office for Mediation and Reporting (OMR), and the Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support, and Education (OSVRSE).
Contact a First Responder
All First Responders receive compulsory EDI First Responders Training. Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to contact EDI First Responders by email, on MS Teams, by phone, or arrange an in-person or virtual meeting.
ANONYMOUS DISCLOSURE: If you are a Max Bell School student, staff or faculty member and would like to disclose your issue anonymously, please find the private link to send an anonymous form submission in your Outlook inbox by searching "EDI online disclosure form."
2023-2024 First Responders
- Leslie Fierro, EDI Committee Chairperson | leslie.fierro [at] mcgill.ca
- V. Weston, Communications Officer | victoria.weston [at] mcgill.ca
Student, faculty, and staff are welcome to contact Leslie or Weston by email, Teams, phone, or arrange an in-person meeting.
Student services and resources
McGill has committed to facilitating access to the University for students from underrepresented groups. It is in this spirit, the Max Bell Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee has ensured that external funding sources are available to serve these groups when they apply for the Max Bell School Master of Public Policy .
The Max Bell School is committed to the success of its MPP students. See the services offered below for any academic, career or wellness support you might need.
