To our U of T Engineering community
In June, I wrote to students, staff and faculty that anti-Black racism and prejudice have no place here in U of T Engineering, in academia, or in society more broadly. The Faculty reaffirmed its commitment to Black inclusivity through a number of existing and new initiatives, including implementing more Black-specific K-12 outreach programming, expanding race and demographic data collection, streamlining pathways to disclose incidents of discrimination or harassment, and hosting conversations addressing anti-Black racism and unpacking active allyship.
We have a long way to go to truly eradicate anti-Black racism within ourselves and our institutions. In U of T Engineering we are committed to doing this work continuously. And while the pursuit of equity and empathy is an everyday mission, on Sept. 9 and 10, 2020, many academics throughout Canada may, in their own unique ways, acknowledge and protest against the unjust police brutality perpetrated against many Black people across Canada and the United States.
U of T Engineering classes on Sept. 10 will continue as scheduled, and there are many ways that our community can participate — including taking time that day to learn more about issues around anti-Blackness, Black inclusivity and ways to act in solidarity. This first day of classes offers an opportunity to come together online and engage with resources on addressing anti-Black racism, learn more about the Black Canadian experience or learning more about how the Faculty is working toward addressing Black inclusivity in our community.
As learners, teachers and researchers, as a professional school, and as citizens of this Faculty and members of society, we all have a responsibility to act against anti-Black racism and to serve as agents of change. We recognize the importance of continuing to shed light on these important issues and support our students, faculty and staff as we educate ourselves and act confront racism wherever it arises.
Chris
Christopher Yip
Dean
Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
University of Toronto