Update on the development of Harassment and Discrimination and Sexual Violence policies

The following message was also emailed to UPEI students, faculty, and staff on January 21, 2025.

Dear UPEI Community,

In accordance with the UPEI Action Plan: Building A Culture of Trust, Safety and Inclusion, the University of Prince Edward Island has committed to developing a new Harassment and Discrimination Policy and a revised Sexual Violence Policy. We are pleased to announce that a Review Committee has been struck, and work is now underway in earnest.

The Committee was selected by the University among individuals who responded to a call for expressions of interest to participate, with a view to ensure a broad representation across constituency groups in the UPEI community (with diverse experiences and backgrounds). All individuals who provided an expression of interest to participate, whether or not selected, are thanked for their engagement and willingness to contribute to the betterment of our university community as we all strive to enhance a culture of trust, safety and inclusion.

Committee members include Ann Braithwaite, Bobby Thomas Cameron (non-voting), Brian Thompson, Christian Lacroix, Geoff Tierney (non-voting), Hexi Wang, James R. Reddin, Jonathan Spears, Kathy Gottschall-Pass, Kelly Drummond, Lucky Fusca (Co-Chair), Margot Rejskind, MJ Wardle, Ayodhya Fonseka, Sushil Khatri, Travis Saunders, Vanessa Corless, and Wendy Rodgers (Co-Chair).

The Committee is tasked with the important responsibility to develop a recommendation for two policies: a Harassment and Discrimination Policy and a Sexual Violence Policy, following a university-wide consultative process.  

The new Harassment and Discrimination Policy shall adhere to the following, set out in the UPEI Action Plan at Goal 4, Action 3:

• Replace the Fair Treatment Policy with a comprehensive Harassment and Discrimination Policy that covers all campus members and reflects the new structure of the EDI and Human Rights Department
• Ensure the new policy incorporates all recommendations of the UPEI Review
• Ensure the new policy reflects feedback from survivors of harm at the University
• Ensure the new policy is trauma-informed and procedurally fair
• Ensure the new policy aligns with legislative requirements, such as PEI Occupational Health and Safety Act and Employment Standards Act 

The revised Sexual Violence Policy shall adhere to the following set out in the UPEI Action Plan at Goal 4, Action 4:

• Ensure the policy is comprehensive and implements all the recommendations of the UPEI Review
• Ensure the policy is trauma-informed, procedurally fair, and conforms to legislative requirements
• Ensure that the experiences of victims of sexual harassment/assault, including within the context of student residences, are in the revisions to the policy 

The Review Committee held its initial meeting on December 18, 2024, and will continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis for the next three months, with a target completion date of March 31, 2025. During this period, the Committee will consult broadly. All members of the UPEI community are, and will be, encouraged to provide feedback regarding their experiences with the current suite of policies and to offer other comments or suggestions they want to bring forward for the Committee's attention. If you wish to provide feedback, one mechanism for doing so is through an online feedback form, found here. Otherwise, you are welcome to submit comments by email to Bobby Cameron, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, at trcameron@upei.ca.  

Please note, the Committee is not in a position to receive actual disclosures of discrimination, harassment or sexual violence for the purposes of initiating a complaint or investigative process. Any such disclosures should continue to be made through the usual mechanisms and policies; for instance, through the Fair Treatment Office, the Department of Equity, Diversity Inclusion, and Human Rights, one’s supervisor or union, or an Officer of the University.

We look forward to providing additional updates to the community on our progress.

Sincerely,

Wendy Rodgers, Review Committee Co-Chair
Lucky Fusca, Review Committee Co-Chair