For more details on committees and a working vision statement, please see below:
Committees
The Department of Psychology has created the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Committee (IDEA), and Joanne Chung is the current chair. The committee is working on the following initiatives:
- A climate survey to obtain data about people's current perspectives on IDEA in the department
- An event and workshop series for underrepresented minority (URM) undergraduate students to learn more about careers in psychology from URM faculty, graduate students, and alumni at UTM
- Integrating IDEA into UTM psychology's hiring process, and encouraging BIPOC-focused faculty searches
- Departmental Code of Conduct/Rights and Responsibilities document
- Resources to help faculty teach from an IDEA lens
The committee works closely with other chairs of the diversity committees at St. George and Scarborough, and they meet to discuss shared goals and project ideas.
Working Vision Statement
(Contributors as of July 1, 2021: Soroush Darvish, Simone Walker, Samuel Ronfard, Joanne Chung):
The UTM Psychology IDEA Community originated from a desire to actively contribute to the global movement against racial injustice. We recognize that this injustice is related to other forms of systemic harm that disproportionately affects members of our community that are marginalized. We come together to understand each other and oppose this harm by creating a space in which we break down traditional barriers and power dynamics that serve to separate and isolate us. We recognize that these barriers have many long-standing historical roots.
We believe that, as a Psychology department, we are well-positioned to foster belongingness by recognizing our shared humanity and appreciating each person’s uniqueness. As we work, learn, and collaborate, we hope to build strength through investing in individual relationships and in our Psychology community. We envision an open and welcoming space for the UTM Psychology IDEA community, where members can share, respect, and validate each other’s experiences, in all of their forms.
This is why we believe that the first and most important step is simply to show up. A community cannot exist without its members. A community grows and flourishes with the collaborative efforts of all its members. We believe that being an active member of the psychology community means that we have a responsibility to show up for each other not just in our individual labs or smaller communities but in the everyday interactions between individuals outside of the lab. This means acknowledging and listening rather than interpreting and judging.
We invite you to learn more about us and join us in our efforts!
Last updated August 2023