STRIVE subcommittees
Subcommittees to the STRIVE Task Force will examine and address the university’s needs in relation to identity-based violence.
Following feedback from the community, six focus areas have been identified to be explored by STRIVE through subcommittees: antisemitism; anti-Arab racism and islamophobia; anti-Asian racism; transphobia; campus engagement; campus climate.
Each area will be examined in depth and with careful attention to specificity as well as in juxtaposition with other areas and the broader university context.
We understand that the themes the subcommittees will be examining will not capture the full diversity of identities and experiences at the university. We hope that through this work and conversations with the community and across subcommittees, we will be able to respectfully address the nuances around identity-based violence.
Each subcommittee will consist of a lead and three members representing staff, students, and faculty.
A comprehensive set of recommendations and action plans to combat identity-based violence at the university are to be submitted by the STRIVE Task Force to the Provost.
Subcommittee on Antisemitism
Subcommittee lead: Naftali Cohn, Chair, Religions and Cultures
Tasked with:
- Examining existing campus policies and processes to establish Concordia as a safe and inclusive space for Jewish community members to flourish.
- Researching trainings on antisemitism, protocols, and best practices to address antisemitism from other Canadian universities and institutions.
- Examining systems in place for complaints and evaluating the community’s access to university services.
- Consulting with relevant Concordia and Montreal communities to recommend measures tailored to the needs and concerns of the Jewish students, faculty and staff, including attending relevant discussions organized by the Campus Engagement subcommittee.
Subcommittee on Anti-Arab Racism & Islamophobia
Subcommittee lead: Sarah Ghabrial, Associate Professor, History
Tasked with:
- Examining existing campus policies and processes to establish Concordia as a safe and inclusive space for Arab community members to flourish.
- Examining existing campus policies and processes to establish Concordia as a safe and inclusive space for Muslim community members to flourish.
- Researching trainings on anti-Arab racism protocols and best practices to address it from other Canadian universities and institutions.
- Researching trainings on islamophobia protocols and best practices to address it from other Canadian universities and institutions.
- Examining the distinctions between anti-Arab racism and islamophobia as well as how these forms of discrimination sometimes intersect.
- Examining systems in place for complaints and evaluating the community’s access to university services.
- Consulting with relevant Concordia and Montreal communities to recommend measures tailored to the needs and concerns of students, faculty and staff, including attending relevant discussions organized by the Campus Engagement subcommittee.
Subcommittee on Anti-Asian Racism
Subcommittee lead: Felice Yuen, Professor, Applied Human Sciences & Director of the Individualized Program (INDI)
Tasked with:
- Examining existing campus policies and processes to establish Concordia as a safe and inclusive space for Asian community members to flourish.
- Researching trainings on anti-Asian racism, protocols, and best practices to address anti-Asian from other Canadian universities and institutions.
- Examining systems in place for complaints and evaluating the community’s access to university services.
- Consulting with relevant Concordia and Montreal communities to recommend measures tailored to the needs and concerns of the Asian students, faculty and staff, including attending relevant stakeholder discussions organized by the Campus Engagement subcommittee.
Subcommittee on Transphobia
Subcommittee lead: Maurice Riley Case, Manager, Black Perspectives Office
Tasked with:
- Examining existing campus policies and processes to establish Concordia as a safe and inclusive space for transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming community members to flourish.
- Researching trainings on transphobia, protocols, and best practices to address gender-based discrimination from other Canadian universities and institutions.
- Examining systems in place for complaints and evaluating the transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming community members' access to university services.
- Consulting with Concordia and Montreal communities to recommend measures tailored to the needs and concerns of transgender, non-binary and gender-nonconforming students, faculty, and staff, including attending relevant discussions organized by the Campus Engagement subcommittee.
Campus Climate
Subcommittee lead: TBD
Tasked with:
- Examining existing campus policies and processes that support rigorous exchange and challenging discourse and make recommendations with respect to relevant policy and procedural gaps or limitations.
- Examining existing and developing new supports and spaces that promote reflections on identity-based violence and strategies to counteract it.
- Developing a network and expanding tools for faculty when faced with in-class discourse or assignments that are hateful and/or contravene codes of conduct.
- Identify other on-campus communities impacted by identity-based violence and propose areas for the Task Force to investigate and address.
- Attend relevant discussions organized by the Campus Engagement subcommittee.
Campus Engagement
Subcommittee leads:
- Elana Bloom, Director, Campus Wellness and Support Services
- Susan Edey, Senior Director, Community Engagement and Social Impact
Tasked with leading campus consultation about experiences with identity-based violence and its implications for campus life, and collecting input on actions that will help foster and maintain a respectful and inclusive environment.
The Campus Engagement subcommittee works closely with the other subcommittees and will coordinate a variety of engagement exercises including:
- Surveys
- Inviting Concordia students, faculty, and staff, as well as groups and units across the institution to provide written input and suggestions using a designated email address
- Soliciting partner feedback
- Reaching out to designated groups consisting of Concordia students, faculty, and staff to received additional feedback