A diversity of people, ideas, lived experiences, identities, knowledge and perspectives enriches the academic and social life at McGill. Over the last years, our University has strengthened its capacity to be a driver of social inclusion, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups, including members of Indigenous communities, racialized people and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

While strengthening its commitment to EDI and social inclusion, McGill has reaffirmed its steadfast adherence to academic freedom, freedom of speech, and diversity of viewpoints, ideas and intellectual endeavours. Academic freedom is the backbone of the modern university, and McGill is strongly committed to simultaneously defend it and advance equity, diversity and inclusion.

Goals

Deepening our commitment to excellence and diversity in faculty recruitment and career progression and enhance equity and accessibility for students, scholars and staff from underrepresented groups

The Provost mandated a series of working groups, task forces and other initiatives to provide our community with clear and effective roadmaps toward advancing the university's fundamental commitment to creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive university:

• 2017 Report of the Provost’s Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education
• 2018 Report of the Working Group on Principles of Renaming and Commemoration
• 2019 Canada Research Chairs - EDI Action Plan
• 2020 EDI Strategic Plan
• 2020 Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism
• 2022 Report of the Initiative against Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia
• 2022 Report of the Working Group on Indigeneity in Infrastructure Planning and Development

These initiatives build on and support other strategic plans and initiatives deployed at McGill:

• 2018 Report of the Principal’s Task Force on Respect and Inclusion in Campus Life
• 2019 Strategic Research Plan
• 2019 Master Plan

Addressing Anti-Black Racism

Created in September 2020, McGill's Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism was established to deepen and strengthen our commitment to addressing anti-Black racism with a view to building a more inclusive and just campus community for all.

Prof. Terri Givens has been appointed as the Provost’s Academic Lead and Advisor (PALA) on McGill’s Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism (AP-ABR) in June 2021. Her mandate ended in 2023. During this time, Prof. Givens has established and managed a new team seeking to advance the University’s AP-ABR and overarching EDI commitments.

Initiative against Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

Created in March 2022 and led by Prof. Angela Campbell, Associate Provost (Equity and Academic Policies) and Prof. Fabrice Labeau, Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning), the Initiative against Islamophobia and Antisemitism (IAIAS) was created to address and prevent Islamophobia and Antisemitism on our campuses, and to make recommendations for concrete actions and measures to deepen inclusion for the Jewish and Muslim communities.

Among the recommendations of the IAIAS Final Report is the observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day annually on 27 January and a recommendation to continue to honour the victims of the 2017 attack at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec (CCIQ), annually on 29 January. The inaugural commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day was held in 2023, and the CCIQ commemorative event has been held annually since 2018.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) has established two funding initiatives at the graduate level in support of the University’s commitment to diversity:

• Indigenous Graduate Excellence Recruitment Fellowship (IGEF): In support of the 52 Calls to Actions for Truth and Reconciliation at McGill, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies offers recruitment awards to Indigenous applicants to graduate degree programs. Since its inception in 2021, this program has benefitted 83 Indigenous incoming students for a total of $451,250. This includes confirmed commitments for 2023/24.
• Anti-Black Racism Initiative Recruitment Awards : GPS offers Graduate Excellence Recruitment Awards to Black applicants to our graduate degree programs, as well as for incoming Black Postdoctoral Fellows. These awards are offered in support of McGill’s Action Plan to Address Anti-Black Racism by nomination of their unit, based on self-identification during the admissions process. To date, 111 Black students have received a recruitment award under this initiative, for a total commitment of $753,500 since 2021. This includes confirmed commitments for 2023/24.

 Increasing the proportion of women at the rank of Full Professor to 25%

Efforts to ensure more proactive, rigorous processes in academic recruitment initiatives have resulted in a more diverse population of incoming tenure-stream professors and to an increase in the proportion of women at the rank of Full Professor. From 20.5% in 2017, the target of 25% was surpassed in 2019 and the representation of women at the rank of Full Professor reached 27.1% as of January 2022.

 Increasing the proportion of all tenured and tenure-track staff self-identifying as members of all other equity groups to 20%

From 12% representation in 2015 to 21.8% in 2023; the target has been surpassed.

*Persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, racialized persons, members of ethnic minorities and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities

 Increasing student aid from all sources to 30% of total net tuition revenues

In order to foster inclusion and access to higher education, McGill’s current practice sets aside 30% of net tuition increases to the institutional financial aid program.

At the undergraduate level, this important source of need-based aid grew from 9.2 M$ in 2017 to 15.6 M$ in 2022.

At the graduate level, McGill has recognized the need to provide competitive graduate student support to attract the best graduate students to work alongside our prominent researchers. The University’s funding strategy focuses on providing appropriate funding to all our graduate students. To this effect, in the 2022/2023 academic year, an additional $7 million was injected into the central funding allocation in support of graduate students. Overall, the central funding allocation has increased from $16.8 million in 2018/2019 to $27.5 million in 2023/2024.

Enhancing physical accessibility and cultural inclusivity in support of student success

With the aim of supporting student, scholar and staff success, McGill implemented measures to enhance physical accessibility and cultural inclusivity on our campuses.

Physical accessibility

Recommendations for accessibility were put forward in the 2018 Final Report of the Principal’s Task Force on Respect and Inclusion in Campus Life.

In addition, the 2019 McGill Master Plan includes a set of design standards for accessibility applied for the construction and renovation of buildings.

Furthermore, in 2020, McGill adopted its EDI Strategic Plan 2020-2025 which includes specific commitments regarding numerous areas, including physical space, and in order to help implement the EDI Plan’s various commitments regarding accessibility and people with disabilities, the University created the new full-time position of Accessibility Advisor in 2020 within the Equity Team.

The Accessibility Advisor plays a key role in the development of McGill’s upcoming Strategic Accessibility Strategy, an initiative launched in 2022 by the Equity Office.

Cultural inclusivity

The 2017 Final Report of the Provost’s Task Force on Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Education presented the University with 52 Calls to Action, among which were 11 that addressed physical representation and symbolic recognition on campus. In particular, the Task Force called on the University “to ensure that McGill’s public spaces reflect McGill’s commitment to Indigenous education through the display of Indigenous art and culture on our two campuses,” and to “ensure that the provision of space dedicated to Indigenous persons and groups is integrated into all aspects of University planning, including plans for the Royal Victoria Hospital site.”

Indigeneity in infrastructure planning and development

In 2020, the Working Group on Indigeneity in Infrastructure Planning and Development (WGIIPD) was mandated by the Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) (PVPA) and the Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) (VPAF) to formulate recommendations towards ensuring the substantive, long-term, sustainable physical representation of the heritage and presence of Indigenous peoples and cultures on our campuses. The final report of the WGIIPD is available here.

Fostering an inclusive Convocation experience

To celebrate McGill's diversity and recognize the achievements of equity groups in our community, the University's senior leadership have supported and participated in special celebrations organized as integral parts of the Convocation experience at McGill:

• Indigenous Scarf Ceremony (since 2011)
• Lavender Celebration (since 2018)
• Black Grad Celebration (since 2019)

In recent years, McGill has also included various Indigenous elements in many ceremonies (e.g. participation of Elders, physical representation, performances, etc.). The University has also bestowed honorary doctorates to Indigenous recipients.

Indigenous Awareness Weeks

Since 2011, Indigenous Awareness Weeks offer students, staff, and faculty the opportunity to learn about Indigenous cultures, histories, and communities, promoting greater knowledge and understanding about Indigenous peoples in Canada. They aim to raise awareness and initiate an exchange of ideas on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit topics within the McGill community.

Muslim Awareness Week

McGill’s senior leadership have supported and participated in activities that support Muslim Awareness Week. This grassroot initiative aims at raising awareness of the vibrant and diverse Muslim students, faculty and staff at McGill, and at creating opportunities for Muslims and non-Muslims to come together to learn and forge friendships.

Black History Month

Each year since 2017, Black History Month brings together students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members to celebrate and center Blackness throughout the history, the present, and the future of McGill and beyond. BHM at McGill present an opportunity to learn, reconnect, and recognize Black communities’ contributions to education and research.

Queer History Month

In 2018, McGill celebrated its first LGBTQ2I+ (now Queer) History Month. Through a series of screenings, panels, workshops, and community events, Queer History Month aims to raise awareness, advance education, and increase visibility of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities by recognizing their history and contributions, building bridges, and bringing together McGill students, staff, faculty, and alumni and Montréal community members.

Protecting freedom and diversity of inquiry and intellectual exchange

McGill has taken concrete steps to reaffirm its commitment to academic freedom and the University has recently adopted a Policy on Academic Freedom. Developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders in the McGill community, the new Policy was approved by McGill's Senate on May 10, 2023, and by the Board of Governors on May 18, 2023.

This policy will serve to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for scholars and students to engage in open and respectful discussions without fear of censorship, harassment, or discrimination. By upholding academic freedom, McGill University remains at the forefront of research and scholarship, ensuring that all voices are heard and all perspectives are considered.

Quantified targets:  Achieved or surpassed   |  Partially achieved   |  Not achieved