Mohawk College Endorses Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion
Mohawk College has joined more than 50 other colleges and universities across Canada to endorse the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Higher Education.
“Mohawk College is committed to addressing anti-Black racism and promoting Black inclusion,” said Mohawk College President and CEO, Ron McKerlie. "We strive to be a welcoming, supportive, inclusive place of learning and work. Together, we are building a community that will not tolerate discrimination.”
The Scarborough Charter On Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education was created following the 2020 National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities. The Charter was a co-creation process involving extensive consultations and collaboration with Black communities, academic institutions, governments, political and civic leaders, and activists across Canada.
Endorsing the Charter commits Mohawk College to take meaningful, concrete action to address anti-Black racism and promote Black inclusion at the college and throughout higher education in Canada. Signatories of the Charter agree to follow a set of principles when developing action plans to combat anti-Black racism and foster Black inclusion. More details can be found on the Scarborough Charter website.
Mohawk College launched its first college-wide EDI Action Plan in 2021. Many of the action items within the plan directly align with the Scarborough Charter, including the following:
· Created the college’s first Equity, Diversity and Inclusion scholarship. Students who apply to this scholarship can choose to self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group (Scarborough Charter section 2.3.2).
· Provide weekly drop-in sessions for Black students to receive social and academic support and build community among Black students at the college (Scarborough Charter section 3.2).
· Hired a Pathways Coach, to support Black, Racialized and Indigenous students as they transition from high school to postsecondary, and to support their future goals (Scarborough Charter section 3.3).
· Strengthen connections with Black-led organizations, including the Hamilton Caribbean Women’s Group and The Jamaica Foundation (Scarborough Charter section 3.4).
· Establishing in-house data collection and management processes, aligning with relevant privacy and data governance policies, and supporting evidence-based decision-making to foster an inclusive, just and equitable college environment (Scarborough Charter section 4.1).
Some additional steps Mohawk College has taken include:
· Hiring a Black and Racialized Student Success Manager to oversee a program focused on Black student success.
· Establishing a task force to help identify issues and barriers experienced by Black employees.
· Developing programs to encourage Black alumni to serve as mentors and leaders and to promote Black excellence within the community.
For more information on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Mohawk College, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/equity-diversity-and-inclusion.
To view Mohawk College's EDI Action Plan, visit: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/mohawks-commitments-and-action-plan.