Statement of Principles
The Statistics Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (SEDI) Committee is committed to promoting changes and initiatives that further equity, inclusion, and diversity in the Department of Statistics at UBC. We recognize the historic and ongoing inequalities that directly impact specific groups of people due to systemic racism, discrimination and bias. These inequities lead to unequal access to resources and differences in the material and social conditions in which people live. These differences drastically impact educational, professional and personal lives and individual participation in science inside and outside the Department of Statistics. These impacts are not always visible or easily measurable in terms of academic outcomes, career progression, and quality of life. We also recognize the power and privilege held by particular groups. Hence, we support changes to achieve greater equity, diversity and inclusion and strive to correct inequities in our department by making changes to our programs and activities. We recognize this work is challenging, nuanced and not always linear. Still, we are dedicated to the ongoing process of improving the conditions for students, postdocs, staff, and faculty, identifying and overcoming obstacles stemming from bias or systemic structures.
See UBC’s Inclusion Action Plan as well as its Equity and Inclusion Glossary of Terms.
Committee Membership
The SEDI committee is comprised of one or two faculty co-chairs, a staff member, a postdoctoral fellow member, a graduate student member, and an undergraduate student member. We aim to have representation within the committee from all of the major groups of department members.
Contact the SEDI committee at edi@stat.ubc.ca.
Purpose and Mandate
The SEDI committee will focus its efforts on both strategic planning and the development of new initiatives. The committee will work with other departmental committees to assess policies and procedures. The committee will advise the Department Head to issue directives or directly request changes from committees to address identified issues. For example, the SEDI committee may develop templates or guiding documentation to advance equity, diversity and inclusion. The committee will also establish activities, such as workshops and events, consulting or coordinating with other knowledgeable groups if needed, such as the UBC Equity and Inclusion Office. SEDI may be involved in implementing new initiatives/events or they may provide direction for other committees to execute.
Action Plan
Towards its purpose, the committee will:
- Establish and review departmental policy around EDI-related issues.
- Formulate procedures to respond to incidents of discrimination and marginalization.
- Seek opportunities to promote EDI in our department and the student community.
Examples of ongoing, recent, and future specific initiatives include:
- Creating scholarships to support the well-being of students (e.g., parental leave financial aid).
- Creating a mentorship program that helps first generation undergraduate students.
- Incorporating EDI into our curriculum and teaching practices.
- Incorporating EDI considerations into the admission process.
- Creating an EDI seminar series to build a deeper sense of EDI focused culture and community within the department.
- Hold monthly EDI focused seminars and educational events.
- Create a website that provide EDI information and support.
- Mandatory EDI training for Teaching Assistants.