Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the McGill School of Computer Science
The School of Computer Science (SOCS) at McGill is incredibly diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, age, and other factors. This diversity directly contributes to making the School not only an outstanding research and education institution, but also a place where we can learn from each other and work together toward a better future.
Our students, staff, and faculty, are committed to creating and promoting a community where everyone is welcome and supported, no matter their backgrounds, experiences, or perspectives. Where everyone is provided the same opportunities and respect. Where all members are empowered to succeed and contribute to the betterment of the whole.
Our shared ethics encourages personal growth, high standards in learning, impactful research, collegial support, and affecting society in meaningful ways. Success depends on creating an environment that removes all hindrances to these goals in all venues within SOCS. Regardless of one's ethnicity, race, beliefs, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and other characteristics, we strive to promote and create a healthy and supportive community where everyone is included as a member of SOCS, and where every member's contributions are valued.
We believe that a university is a cradle of diverse thoughts and ideas. In that light, we strive for a community that is a safe place where individuals with differing opinions and ideas can express themselves freely in professional and respectful ways, that differences of opinion do not signify rightness or wrongness, but instead open avenues of dialogue.
How to report an incident
If you are a Computer Science student who has experienced discrimination or harassment issues the School would like to support you as best as we can. To this end, please consider following these steps if you experience discrimination or harassment:
- Contact a member of the SOCS EDI Committee by email. We will maintain confidentiality and would not take any step without your consent. Current members are Blake Richards, Siva Reddy and David Rolnick
- The next step will depend on your status:
- If you are an undergraduate student, then the EDI Committee will direct you to the resources available for reporting and mediation via the university. They will also help answer any questions you have about the process and provide advice on using McGill’s reporting systems. More information on the reporting systems at the university can be found at the McGill Office for Mediation and Reporting
- If you are a graduate student or postdoc, then the EDI Committee will arrange a confidential meeting with you to learn more about what you experienced. Based on that information, they will then discuss with you your preferred follow-up actions. If you wish to use the university’s reporting and mediation services, then they will support you in that process and provide advice/guidance on using those systems. If you do not want to use the university’s reporting systems then the EDI Committee will consider in collaboration with you draft recommendations for how to resolve the issue internally within the School. This could, for example, include alerting a supervisor or the Chair of the School to the issue so that they can consider appropriate mediation processes or consequences for someone who has violated the university’s policies on personal rights and responsibilities . No step will be taken without your consent.
