Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee – Terms of Reference

The Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee ’s responsibilities include: 

• Conduct a comprehensive review of existing policies, guidelines, and practices related to equity and safety in athletics.  

• Identify strengths, gaps, challenges, and areas of improvement in current policies and practices.  

• Incorporate and apply existing research in University Athletics focusing on gender equity, racism and inclusion, including the recommendations of the Watershed Legal Projects (formerly CCLISAR) spring 2024 review of the University’s sexualized violence policies and practices. 

• Engage with relevant stakeholders, including student-athletes, coaches, administrators, officials, advocacy groups, and experts, to gather input, insights, and feedback.  

• Develop an implementation and accountability framework including recommended resources to implement the identified actions. 

Membership 

• Director, Athletics & Recreation  

• Manager, Varsity Athletics & Communications 

• Two members of faculty with experience in equity, and sport.   

• Two members of the coaching staff, one of whom must be a coach of a female team, and one of whom must coach a male team.  

• Two student athletes  

• Director Human Rights and Equity  

• Director of Development  

• VP Administration and Finance – Co-Chair 

• VP Students – Co-Chair 

The VP Finance and Administration and the VP Students will select committee members which will include members who bring lived experience as a varsity athlete and of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. 

Staff will be assigned to support the work of the Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee and/or Working Groups. These staff include, but are not limited to, the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Advocate, the Human Rights and Equity Response Advocate, the Director of Health, Counselling and Accessible Learning, the Director of Student Life. 

The Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee or Working Groups shall engage subject matter experts and groups/units, such as the Human Rights and Equity Office, units within the Students’ Division, Advancement, and other such groups may be advisors or consulted, including external advisors as determined appropriate by the Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee. 

The Advisory Committee will establish at least two working groups:  

Equity Working Group to create implementation plan and accountability framework for Athletics.  

• Employment Equity 

• Equitable Resourcing 

• Power Imbalances in Sport 

• Anti-Racism and Inclusion 

Gender Based and Sexual Violence Prevention Working Group to create implementation plan and accountability framework for Athletics including a plan for implementing relevant recommendations by the Sexual Violence Policy External Review Committee. 

• GBV/SV Prevention  

• GBV/SV Response  

• GBV/SV Policy supports. 

The Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee aims to complete the action plan (priority setting) by July 2024, and the implementation and accountability framework by January 2025.

The Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee shall provide regular progress reports to the university community. These reports will include updates on research findings, stakeholder consultations, policy development, actions taken, and any challenges or recommendations encountered during the process.

Committee members shall adhere to strict confidentiality requirements regarding any sensitive information and personal data obtained during their work. The committee shall operate in such a manner to protect privacy and comply with applicable data protection laws. 

The Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee shall operate in an ethical manner, respecting human rights, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring transparency and accountability in their decision-making process.

The Athletics Equity and Safety Advisory Committee shall develop a communication strategy to engage with the broader student athletic and university communities ensuring transparency and accessibility of information.