Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy 2023

2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY iAcknowledging Indigenous LandsAlgoma University is a Canadian public university with three campuses located in Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, and Timmins. The Sault Ste. Marie campus is located on the site of the Former Shingwauk Residential School; as such Algoma University has a Special Mission to be a teach-ing-oriented university and cultivate cross-cul-tural learning between Indigenous and settler communities. Following from our Special Mission, Algoma University is committed to reconciliation, creating safety for our community members, and creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive envi-ronment for all of our students, faculty, and staff.Algoma University respectfully acknowledges that its three campuses are located on the traditional lands of Indigenous Peoples. For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples have inhabited and cared for these lands and continue to do so today. The Sault Ste. Marie campus in Baawaating is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabek, specifically the Garden River First Nation and Batchewana First Nation, and home to the Métis, located in Robinson-Huron Treaty territory. Sault Ste. Marie is also home to many urban Indigenous Peoples.The Brampton campus is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. We acknowledge the territory of the Anishinaabeg, the Huron-Wendat, Haudenos-aunee and Ojibway/Chippewa peoples. This land is also home to the Métis and many urban Indigenous Peoples. The Timmins campus is located on Treaty #9 territory, also known as the James Bay Treaty. It is the traditional territory of the Ojibwe/Chippewa, including the Mattagami First Nation, as well as the Mushkegowuk (Cree), Algonquin, and Métis Peoples.A Critical Reflection on Self-Determination and Terminology — Moving Beyond a GlossaryThroughout documentation at Algoma University, the terms Aboriginal, Indigenous and Anishinaabe are used to refer to First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples in Canada. At times these terms are used interchangeably, based on the sources or authors of information (government document, website, policy, report, or first person etc.). Further still, Aboriginal and Indigenous are used within global contexts. We offer a note on lan-guage and terminology here for several reasons. First, we recognize that many people in Canadian post-secondary spaces simply do not know about the complexity and diversity of identities among Indigenous Peoples in Canada or globally. Second, we acknowledge that colonial constructs such as the Canadian Constitution and the Indian Act have greatly influenced and dictated the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples and identity terminology - such as Aboriginal or

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion StrategyiiIndian, for example. It is important to remember that these terms were not created through the worldviews or languages of Indigenous Peo-ples. More recently, the term Indig-enous Peoples has gained prominence, as First Peoples from around the world organized trans-nationally, particularly at the United Nations (UN). While this concept reflects the resurgence and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples, we acknowledge that it originates from a Latin word, not through the languages or worldviews of Indigenous Peoples themselves. Third, in a strategic document centred on decol-onization, Indigenization, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, it is imperative that we think critically about language and terminology and create space for the self-determination of Indig-enous Peoples to assert their identity, languages and worldviews - from the beginning of this work. Ensuring space and support for the resur-gence of language and identity is paramount to moving forward. First and foremost, this means Algoma Universi-ty recognizes the importance of referring to Indigenous Peoples by their specific nation and language, where possible, and as self-deter-mined by those we are working with - this starts with respectful relationships and dialogue. In the UN, The right to self-identification is reflected in the The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indige-nous Peoples which asserts the importance of not defining Indigenous Peoples. According to the Declaration, “self-identification as Indige-nous is considered a fundamental criterion. The Declaration refers to their right to determine their own identity or membership in accordance with their customs and traditions. There are over 476 million Indigenous people living in 90 coun-tries across the world, accounting for 6.2 percent of the global population. Of those, there are more than 5,000 distinct groups”.Now that we have shared why critical reflection on terminology and language is important, the following definitions or content will further support readers and Algoma University more broadly, in weaving a strong and respectful sweetgrass braid as we move forward with this work. We hope readers view this as an opportu-nity to experience the three strands - Decoloni-zation, Indigenization and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, in action. ABORIGINAL PEOPLESThe term Aboriginal Peoples is used in the Canadian Constitution, which legally recognizes

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY iii3 groups: Indians (more commonly referred to as First Nations), Inuit and Métis. Stemming from government policy and practice, this term was often used in public sector institutions, such as post-secondary institutions. “Ab” comes from the Latin prefix ‘from the original’. The word as borrowed into English from Latin was Aborigine. The term meant ‘from the conception/since the beginning’. The term is used predominantly in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. INDIGENOUS PEOPLESThe term Indigenous has become referenced more commonly in recent years. Indigenous comes from the Latin word indigena, which means from the land; native (to certain geo-graphic areas). Therefore, for some, using “Indig-enous” over “Aboriginal” reinforces land claims and encourages territory acknowledgements. This connects Indigenous Peoples to their land and respects their inherent land rights. It is frequently used in international, transnational, or global contexts. According to the UN, “Indige-nous Peoples have in common a historical continuity with a given region prior to coloniza-tion and a strong link to their lands. They main-tain, at least in part, distinct social, economic and political systems. They have distinct languages, cultures, beliefs and knowledge systems. They are determined to maintain and develop their identity and distinct institutions and they form a non-dominant sector of society”.ANISHINAABE OR ANISHINAABEGAnishinaabe or Anishinaabeg (plural) translates to original peoples in Anishinaabemowin. The Anishinaabeg are the Original Peoples of Baawaating (Sault Saint Marie), where Algoma University’s main campus resides. The Anishi-naabeg span a large geographic region from the Great Lakes, to northern regions of what is now Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and to the Plains as well as residing in other urban and rural parts of Turtle Island. These various communities are now known as Ojibway, Ojibwe, Chippewa, Ojibway, Salteaux, Mississauga, Nipissing, Potawatomi, and Odawa (and others) as they describe themselves. In the northern parts of Ontario, Cree communities refer to themselves as Mushkegowuk, Inniniwuk and Weeneebayko. The Lenni Lenape are the original people from which many tribal nations, including the Anishi-naabe, trace their ancestry. Ancient Anishi-naabe ancestors lived on and near the Atlantic Ocean near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. A westward journey began as a journey of one people with the Ottawa (Odawa) and the Potawatami and the Ojibway. Separation of the three peoples came at the place where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron converge. At that point some Ojibway proceeded north and became the Anishinaabe First Nations we know today. These three tribal nations form the Three Fires Confederacy and that is where Baawaating and thus the original campus of Algoma Univer-sity sits, within the traditional territory of the Confederacy. As such, out of respect many Anishinaabeg refer to all Indigenous peoples as “Anishinaabe” but it is important to note that there are many tribal, Metis and Inuit nations residing in this territory now with spiritual and cultural ceremonies that are intricately interwo-ven via their sharing of an intimate relationship with the land.For the purposes of this document, Indigenous Peoples will be used instead of Aboriginal, unless in a quote or referencing institutional documents. This will reflect the diversity of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and globally, while recognizing their inherent land rights and celebrating diversity. However, when Anishi-naabe is used, this reflects Anishinaabe world-views and voice. We recognize that language and terminology may change over time, and need to be continuously reflected upon.

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 1Table of ContentsAcknowledging Indigenous Lands ............................. iA Critical Reflection on Self Determination and Terminology — Moving Beyond a Glossary ............... iABORIGINAL PEOPLES .......................................................... iiINDIGENOUS PEOPLES ......................................................... iiiANISHINAABE OR ANISHINAABEG................................ iiiMessage from the President ....................................... 2About the EDI Strategy ................................................ 3How to read this document ............................................... 4Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Algoma University .......................................................... 5Our Commitments ................................................................6Indigenization and the Seven Grandfather Teachings .......................................................................... 7The Path to the EDI Strategy ...................................... 8The Braided Path as Framework ................................. 9Braided Sweetgrass ..............................................................9Defining Our Principles ................................................ 11Accountability .............................................................................. 11Transparency ................................................................................. 11Accessibility .................................................................................... 11Critical Intersectionality ........................................................... 11Decolonization .............................................................................. 11Cross-cultural learning ............................................................ 12Indigenization ................................................................................ 12Anti-racism ..................................................................................... 12Human rights ................................................................................. 12Equity ................................................................................................ 12Diversity ........................................................................................... 13Inclusion .......................................................................................... 13Inclusion .......................................................................................... 13Inclusive Excellence ................................................................... 13The Seven Strategic Directions ................................... 14Braiding Decolonization with the Special Mission .......................................................................14Accountability .........................................................................15Teaching, Learning, and Research .................................16EDI Capacity Building .........................................................17Student Experience ..............................................................18Inclusive Campus Climate and Communities of Belonging .................................................................................19Community Relationships .................................................20Defining Our Terms ....................................................... 21Aboriginal Peoples ..................................................................... 21Accessibility .................................................................................... 21Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) .................................................................................... 21Accountability .............................................................................. 21Anishinaabe or Anishinaabeg .............................................. 21Anti-racism ..................................................................................... 21Chief Shingwauk’s vision .......................................................... 21Critical Intersectionality ........................................................... 21Cross-Cultural Learning ........................................................... 21Decolonization .............................................................................. 22Disability ........................................................................................... 22Discrimination ............................................................................... 22Diversity ............................................................................................ 22Equity ................................................................................................. 22Equity-deserving group ............................................................ 22Gender and sex ............................................................................. 22Gender-based and sexual violence .................................... 23Homophobia and transphobia ............................................. 23Inclusive Excellence .................................................................... 23Indian residential school system ........................................... 23Indigenous Peoples .................................................................... 23Oppression ...................................................................................... 23Power ................................................................................................. 23Privilege ............................................................................................ 23Racism ............................................................................................... 24Reconciliation ................................................................................ 24Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Higher Education ................................... 24Seven Grandfather Teachings .............................................. 24Special Mission ............................................................................ 24Unconscious bias ......................................................................... 24Women ............................................................................................. 242SLGBTQQIPA+ ........................................................................... 24

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy2Message from the President It has been exciting to watch this EDI Strategy take shape over the last two years. Hundreds of Algoma students, staff, faculty, and community members shared their thoughts, ideas, and experiences throughout this process; these contributions have shaped where Algoma will focus its efforts in the next stage of its development. This EDI Strategy was shaped by input from the Algoma community. Its principles and values therefore reflect our diverse community across all of our campuses – from Brampton to Timmins to Sault Ste. Marie. It is also shaped by our deep commitment to cross-cultural learning. As you read through the EDI Strategy, you will see that our shared commitments to the Special Mission and cross-cultural learning, decolonization and Indig-enization, and Truth and Reconciliation are braided into our vision for EDI at Algoma University.The University has also recently launched a new institutional strategic plan that will guide our path from 2023-2026 and set the stage for the next chapter of our history. This plan is comprised of four strategic directions:1. Lead Transformative, Cross-Cultural Learning in a Quality University Experience;2. Learn From, In and With Community;3. Share Our Stories: Past, Present and Future; and,4. Continue to Build Inclusive and Inspiring Teaching, Learning, and Working Environments.Each of these directions weave equity, diversity, and inclusion into all that we will do over the coming years. Algoma University prides itself on the diversity of our student body, which represents over 60 countries worldwide. The EDI Strategy that follows reflects the University’s focus on diversity and our relentless commitment to the Special Mission. As you read through the EDI Strategy, I urge you to continue to reflect on your role and to ask yourself how you will contribute to making Algoma a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive community. This work will be a collective effort, and we will need each and every one of you. As we embark on this work, we will continue to focus on and prioritize what you have told us truly makes Algoma University unique:• Intimate and personal learning experiences;• Cross-cultural leadership; and,• Purpose-driven impact.It has been wonderful to witness the growing impact Algoma University has made in the lives of our students, staff, and faculty, as well as within the communities that we serve. I thank all of the members of the EDI office, the EDI com-mittee and its working groups, and all who are contributing toward ensuring Algoma is a place of opportunity and success for everyone who comes to learn, study, work and play here. I look forward to watching the work unfold.Chi Miigwetch, Merci, Thank you,Asima Vezina President and Vice-Chancellor, Algoma University

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 3About the EDI Strategy The Algoma University Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy is a community-in-formed strategy resulting from the collaborative efforts of the EDI Office, the EDI Committee (EDIC) and its working groups, and the Office of Vice-President, Nyaagaaniid – Anishinaabe Initiatives, Equity, and Student Success. This is our first effort to develop an institutional strate-gy to coordinate our EDI efforts, actions, and initiatives across our campuses, departments, and communities. This EDI Strategy is envisioned as the foundation for developing a long-term plan that will neces-sarily evolve over time and, as such, should be considered a living document. The strategies outlined in this document cannot happen all at once and are intended to be taken up over the next five years.Equity, diversity, and inclusion are central to our core values at Algoma University. This strategy acknowledges and appreciates that many forms of inequities, oppression, and discrimination exist in higher education and society. As such, the University is deeply committed to creating more inclusive, diverse, and equitable working, learning, and teaching environments for all of our community members and particularly for members of equity-deserving groups. Equity-deserving groups are communities that experience collective and systemic barriers to fully participating in society. These barriers may deny members of equity-deserving groups equal access, opportunities, and resources due to disadvantage and discrimination. These barriers may be attitudinal, historic, social, and/or environmental and may exclude people based on characteristics such as age, ethnicity, disability, gender, economic status, nationality, citizenship, race, cultural and religious identity, and/or sexual orientation and gender identity.

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy4The EDI Strategy strives to build a more inclusive environment for everyone, together. This strategy will guide us in coordinating EDI efforts across all levels and corners of the institution, while creating dedicated space for developing future frame-works, initiatives, and policies that respond to the needs of specific communities and equity-de-serving groups. The strategies in this document are a crucial first step on our path, but they are certainly not the only steps. We encourage all members of the Algoma community to consider how we can continue to build upon these foun-dations as we move forward in this journey. While the EDI Office and the Office of the VP Nyaagaaniid will serve as primary drivers in the implementation of this EDI Strategy, its success hinges on the dedication and active participation of all units across the Algoma community. This work is a collective endeavor that requires an institution-wide approach to embed EDI principles into the fabric of the University and its culture.HOW TO READ THIS DOCUMENTThe EDI Strategy can be broken into two parts. The first part of this document outlines Algoma University’s unique approach to and under-standing of EDI within the context of our Special Mission and our commitments to Indigenization and decolonization, the background and work that has informed the development of the strategy, and the principles that inform all that we do. The principles of accountability, transparency, acces-sibility, critical intersectionality, decolonization, cross-cultural learning, Indigenization, anti-racism, and human rights will guide the Algoma community in our decisions, actions, and behaviours as we continue to grow our impact and strengthen our relationships. This part of the document also outlines the guiding framework of the strategy: The Braided Path. The Braided Path comes from the Anishi-naabe Teachings of braided sweetgrass. In the braid, three strands of sweetgrass are braided together to signify a strength in unity. Each strand has seven blades of grass, representing the Seven Grandfather Teachings, the Seven Generations who have come before us, and the Seven Generations who will come after us. The three strands represented in our sweetgrass braid are: decolonization through cross-cul-tural education; Indigenization; and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Each process, while unique, intertwines with the others forming a holistic approach towards reconciliation, with EDI as the connecting thread guiding our work in cross-cultural understanding.The second part of the document lays out the strategy itself. The EDI Strategy is comprised of seven strategic directions that will help us to focus our efforts over the next five years: braiding decolonization with the Special Mission; accountability; teaching, learning, and research; EDI capacity building; student experience; inclusive campus climate and communities of belonging; and community relationships. Each strategic direction consists of an objective and a series of strategies that will inform departmental action planning. Additional planning documents, resources, and tools will be made available to the Algoma community over the life of this plan.

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 5Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Algoma UniversityAlgoma University’s approach to equity, diversi-ty, and inclusion (EDI) is informed by, and deeply intertwined with, our unique history and Special Mission.Our Sault Ste. Marie campus is located on the site of the former Shingwauk Residential School. At Algoma, we recognize our responsibility to reflect upon this history and to teach the truth about residential schools in Canada, while forwarding Chief Shingwauk’s original vision for cross-cultural learning and teaching on this site. Chief Shingwauk’s vision provides the basis for our Special Mission to: A) Be a teaching-oriented university that provides programs in liberal arts and sci-ence and professional programs, primarily at the undergraduate level, with a particular focus on the needs of Northern Ontario, and;B) Cultivate cross-cultural learning be-tween Aboriginal communities and other communities, in keeping with the history of Algoma University and its geographical site. The EDI Strategy aims to embed EDI principles into all aspects, practices, and actions of Algoma University in pursuit of realizing its Special Mission and its commitments and values. The implementation of the EDI Strategy is supported by several initiatives, frameworks, plans, and commitments that support the implementation of the EDI Strategy.

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy6OUR COMMITMENTSAlgoma University underscored its commitment to EDI in our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan by introducing Strategic Direction 4: “Continue to Build Inclusive and Inspiring Teaching, Learning and Working Environments”. This strategic direction includes four primary aims: (1) to invest in and refine our systems and processes to support growth and prioritize cross-cultural leadership, (2) to implement the EDI Strategy and Action Plan, (3) to develop and implement a people and recruitment strategy with a focus on EDI, and (4) to continue to invest in student-cen-tric infrastructure that provides supports for all learners. Through this strategic direction, Algo-ma University intends to develop targeted and measurable initiatives to address systemic barriers, explicit and unconscious biases, and inequities that disproportionately impact mem-bers of equity-deserving groups. Emphasizing its commitment to EDI, Algoma University has endorsed the following charters and principles:• New Principles on Indigenous Education (Universities Canada 2015)• Principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (Universities Canada 2017)• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Dimensions Charter (Government of Canada 2019)• Honouring our Commitment (2020)• Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education (2021)Algoma University remains steadfastly commit-ted to fostering cross-cultural learning. This commitment builds upon Chief Shingwauk’s original vision for the land upon which the Sault Ste. Marie campus is situated. This vision of a cross-cultural exchange of learnings, knowledg-es, and practices is at the heart of all that we do. Our commitments to EDI, Indigenization, and decolonization are most evident in our approach to cross-cultural learning. Meaningful cross-cul-tural education intentionally values, respects, and promotes diverse worldviews, intellectual and cultural traditions, bodies of knowledge, and ways of being and knowing. Algoma University strives to create systems that honour all forms of knowledge, perspec-tives, and peoples to demonstrate our unique definition of EDI. These commitments extend from the land and territory on which we reside to all of our relationships.

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 7Indigenization and the Seven Grandfather TeachingsAlgoma University is committed to ensuring the safe and respectful inclusion of Indigenous knowledges across the university through teach-ing, learning, research, and relationships. We will accomplish this through fostering meaningful relationships guided by our commitment to the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings. In Anishinaabe tradition, the Seven Grandfathers gave seven teachings to the people to teach them how to live in harmony with the Earth and all of Creation. Those teachings are:• Mnaadendimowin - RESPECT, to have honour for all of Creation; • Nibwaakaawin - WISDOM, to cherish knowledge is to have wisdom; • Dibadendizawin - HUMILITY, to know humility is to know yourself as a sacred part of Creation; • Aakodewewin - BRAVERY, to be able to face the foe with integrity; • Gwekwaadiziwin - HONESTY, to be honest in facing a situation; • Debwewin - TRUTH, to have truth is to know all of these things; and • Zaagidiwin - LOVE, to know love is to know peace.Embedded in every facet of Algoma University, the Seven Grandfathers Teachings and the Special Mission shape our vision and mandate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. As we work to foster a welcoming, inclusive, safe, and respect-ful learning community, we also strive to engage and learn from our students, staff, and visitors from all around the globe.The University will foster and deepen relation-ships with Indigenous communities, within and outside of the institution. This ongoing interac-tion is a part of the effort to continually evolve and re-envision Algoma University, in alignment with its commitment to respect and incorporate diverse perspectives.This EDI Strategy recognizes the impact of colonization and its effects on Indigenous communities and equity-deserving groups. This Strategy will enable Algoma University to draw attention to, challenge, and change the systemic barriers that affect equity-deserving groups who have been historically underrepresented, such as women, Indigenous, Black and racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQQIPA+ persons. In this manner, Algo-ma aims to achieve inclusive excellence across the organization and further cement Algoma’s commitment to its Special Mission, cross-cultur-al learning, and reconciliation.

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy8The Path to the EDI Strategy The EDI Strategy is rooted in key principles that underlie and affirm the university’s core values and commitments to decolonization and recon-ciliation as they apply to differentiated contexts, experiences, and groups. This work requires an understanding of settler colonial discourse which often undermines the Indigenous com-munity-led relational approach at the heart of working respectfully toward the truth necessary to move to reconciliation. This institutional strategy will guide the develop-ment of departmental action plans across the university. The EDI office will serve as a repository and provide institutional oversight on the imple-mentation of the EDI Strategy. An evidence-based report card will be presented at various intervals to the university community.This EDI Strategy is the product of an extensive EDI Climate Study and community consultation process conducted by Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA) from July 2021-March 2023.In total, HESA consulted approximately 334 individuals and received 629 survey responses during this work. The strategic actions articulated in this plan operationalize key recommendations HESA has made throughout this process as incremental steps that should be taken over the course of the next five years to help Algoma realize its EDI vision and mandate.Algoma contracted Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA) to conduct the institution’s first Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Climate Study in 2021.In the course of this study, HESA consulted with 93 community members in the form of interviews and focus groups and conducted a university-wide climate survey which received 212 employee and 417 student responses for a response rate of 47% and 12% respectively.The EDI Climate Study produced a series of key recommendations that were shared with the community in November 2022.From Jan–Mar 2023, HESA conducted an additional 28 individual interviews, 20 group consultations (ranging from 5-20 participants per group), and 13 consultations with Indigenous stakeholders for a total of approximately 241 additional consultations in this phase.HESA conducted additional community consultations to inform the development of this plan. HESA sought input from faculty, staff, senior leadership, students, community partners, major research grant holders, and key EDI leaders and knowledge holders across all three campuses.

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 9The Braided Path as FrameworkBRAIDED SWEETGRASSAlgoma University engages with the Anishinaabe Teachings of braided sweetgrass. Anishinaabe Teachings of braided sweetgrass serves as a framework and symbolic guide in our essential efforts to advance work in decolonization. The framework development was Informed by wide scale consultation, including Indigenous faculty, students, community members and administra-tors. By understanding the colonial histories of education and research, we will cultivate avenues for cross-cultural understanding - learning with and from each other. Three strands braided together signify a strength in unity. Each strand has seven blades of sweetgrass representing the Seven Grandfather Teachings, the Seven Gener-ations who have come before us, and the Seven Generations who will come after us. The three strands represented in our sweetgrass braid are: decolonization through cross-cultural education; Indigenization; and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Each process, while unique, intertwines with the others forming a holistic approach towards reconciliation, with EDI as the connecting thread guiding our work in cross-cultural understanding.Informed by the sweetgrass framework, extensive consultations with the community, and Algoma University’s established commitments, the EDI Strategy has seven Strategic Directions that pave the way on the Braided Path:1. Decolonization through Cross-Cultural Education 2. Accountability3. Teaching, Learning and Research4. EDI Capacity Building5. Student Experience6. Inclusive Campus Climate and Communities of Belonging7. Community RelationshipsThe Braided Path is further informed and sup-ported by the nine Principles of this EDI Strategy. Created and defined by the Algoma community through community consultation, these founda-tional principles underlie all that we do: 1. Accountability2. Transparency 3. Accessibility4. Critical Intersectionality5. Decolonization6. Cross-Cultural Learning7. Indigenization8. Anti-Racism9. Human Rights

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 11Defining Our PrinciplesACCOUNTABILITY The responsibility for advancing the University’s commitment to Indigenization and EDI. TRANSPARENCYAn open and consultative process in which decision-makers and leaders make a commit-ment to open and honest communication which holds space for and centers the voices of those most impacted by institutional decision-making.ACCESSIBILITYThe proactive process of designing physical, financial, social, and administrative structures that foster, create, and maintain a barrier-free environment, promoting equitable and full participation of all individuals, particularly per-sons with disabilities, in the community.CRITICAL INTERSECTIONALITYA way of making visible the complexity of identi-ty, taking into account privilege as it intersects with race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, class, caste, nationality, and other axes of identity. These axes of identity do not exist in isolation, but intersect, often creating a complex and cumulative convergence of oppression (Crenshaw 1989). Taking a critical intersectional approach to EDI work helps to avoid conflating and/or ignoring intragroup differences and challenges standardized ap-proaches to undo experiences and systems of persistent social inequality. DECOLONIZATIONThe process of undoing colonization. Doing so requires understanding the colonial histories of education and research, which have been used to systemically disempower and disenfranchise Indigenous and racialized peoples. Decoloniza-tion is not a metaphor (Tuck and Yang 2010); it is a sustained, intentional, and ongoing course of action that includes honouring relationships and the land, dismantling unequal power dynamics, and unlearning and decentering Eurocentric ways of knowing, learning, teaching, and learn-ing. It requires replacing colonial standards with systems that honour all knowledges, perspec-tives, traditions, and Peoples, and integrating diverse and intercultural ways of knowing, learn-ing, and being into our curricular, pedagogical, and governance practices.

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy12CROSS-CULTURAL LEARNING Building from the vision of Chief Shingwauk and fulfilling our Special Mission, Algoma defines cross-cultural learning as a reciprocal exchange of knowledge and learning between local and global Indigenous and non-Indigenous commu-nities. Cross-cultural learning involves learning with and from each other while honouring our special relationships with First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples across Turtle Island.INDIGENIZATIONA process and action that centers Indigenous knowledge systems. As an aspect of decoloniza-tion, Indigenization “envisions the wholesale overhaul of the academy to fundamentally reorient knowledge production based on bal-ancing power relations between Indigenous [and non-Indigenous] peoples, transforming the academy into something dynamic and new.” (Gaudry & Lorenz 2018) Indigenization requires: the inclusion of Indigenous peoples, content, perspectives, and practices across the Universi-ty; and reconciliation, an Indigenous-centric and -led process to alter the University’s structure in the context of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC).ANTI-RACISM“The practice of identifying, challenging, and changing the values, structures and behaviours that perpetuate systemic racism” (Ontario Anti-Racism Secretariat). This concept involves taking proactive measures to combat racial inequity. It stands apart from other approaches, such as those focusing on multiculturalism or diversity because it not only acknowledges the existence of systemic racism but also actively confronts the unequal power dynamic between groups and the structures that maintain them.HUMAN RIGHTSRefers to fundamental rights held by all persons, that entitles everyone to a life of dignity, equality, and respect, that is free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying. AU is committed to upholding human rights on protected grounds as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code and amended over time. All of the above inform Algoma University’s definitions and understanding of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as follows:EQUITY Is a principle, condition, and outcome rooted in human rights and the inviolability of human dignity. It goes beyond equality, examining questions of power and resource allocation, founded on principles of accessibility and inter-sectionality. Equity is about understanding and accommodating differences and providing people with what they need to enter and thrive within the academy. Equity requires proactively identifying and combating discriminatory ideas, attitudes, and behaviours, as well as systems, policies, processes, and practices that lead to disadvantage. It is concerned with a legal and ethical commitment to doing what is right and

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 13necessary to achieve such a state through proactive measures to identify root causes, and design interventions to remove obstacles to fair opportunities and experienc-es in all spheres of academic life. DIVERSITY Refers to both visible and invisible aspects which include differences in worldviews, ways of know-ing and being, theoretical and methodological variations and disciplines as shaped by diverse voices, bodies, and experiences. To achieve representational diversity, AU commits to devel-oping proactive measures to correct systemic disadvantage, and to create equitable opportu-nity structures and pathways for a critical mass of those who are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented. INCLUSION Is a skillset and a condition that requires resourc-es to advance an equitable and fairer organiza-tion where our physical, educational, and cultural spaces are inclusive by design so that they can be used fully by all. Inclusion entails intercon-nected actions to dismantle barriers and social and institutional relations of power and privilege that impede participation, engagement, repre-sentation, and empowerment so that all mem-bers of the Algoma community are included and feel a sense of belonging, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality, religion, citizenship, place of origin, ability, and other protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Inclusion promotes safe and welcoming environ-ments through the implementation of policies, practices, and initiatives that provide opportuni-ties for education and training on EDI-related issues, and ensuring that diverse perspectives are represented and heard. It is the shared responsibility of all community members to foster a welcoming, supportive and respectful learning, teaching, research and work environment. INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE Is a framework which embraces and promotes the enriching contributions that come from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, ways of knowing, ideas, experiences, and representa-tions. Equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging are core prerequisites for achieving this and draw necessary attention to who gets a seat and voice at decision-making tables and who is empow-ered by institutional processes, policies, systems, and structures.

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy14The Seven Strategic DirectionsSTRATEGIC DIRECTION 1: Braiding Decolonization with the Special MissionOBJECTIVEAlgoma University will work towards decolonizing the university and creating an inclusive and equitable environment in which its commitments to the Special Mission, Indigenization, and decolonization are woven throughout the institution.1.1: Articulate the principles of our EDI Strategy and the Special Mission throughout all departments and campuses, integrating them into all policies, practices, strategies, action plans, and commitments.1.2: Integrate the Special Mission and its commitments to cross-cultural learning into course curriculum, pedagogy, and assessments across all disciplines.1.3: Develop an institutional strategy for Indigenization and decolonization that is aligned with the commitments and principles outlined in “Honouring Our Commitment” (2020), Universities Canada’s “New Principles on Indigenous Education” (2015), and the EDI Strategy.1.4: Develop an institutional plan on Black Excellence that is aligned with the University’s commitment to the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education (2021).1.5: Develop and implement specific policies, initiatives, and frameworks to ensure the representation, inclusion, and full participation of all equity-deserving groups in campus life.

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy16STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3: Teaching, Learning, and ResearchOBJECTIVEThe University will advance and attain inclusive excellence in teaching, learning, and research by embedding the principles of EDI, decolonization through cross-cultural learning, and Indigenization. The University will support and encourage all forms of research, learning, and knowledge sharing that reflect diverse and intersectional worldviews, ways of know-ing, methods of inquiry, and approaches to teaching and learning.3.1: Develop an institutional framework on decolonizing research which reflects the University’s commitments to Truth and Reconciliation, Indigenization, decolonization, and the Scarborough Charter, and supports researchers in pursuing this work.3.2: Strengthen the capacity of the Centre for Teaching and Learning to support faculty in decolonizing their classrooms, integrating EDI principles into their teaching, pedagogy, and assessment methodology, and meeting EDI-related performance standards.3.3: Conduct ongoing systematic reviews of academic and student policies and procedures to ensure that principles of EDI, universal design, decolonization, Indigenization, and Black inclusion are embedded throughout.3.4: Enhance the early-alert system to support student success.3.5: Develop an EDI review process and tool for all Senate related processes including program creation and reviews.3.6: Embed EDI principles, guidelines and metrics in research ethics protocols, policies, and procedures, particularly for research involving Indigenous and equity-deserving communities.3.7: Develop institutional research policies and accompanying strategies to foster a more equitable, ethical, inclusive, and supportive research environment for students, faculty, and research participants.

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 19STRATEGIC DIRECTION 6: Inclusive Campus Climate and Communities of Belonging OBJECTIVEAlgoma University will create an inclusive and equitable community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and where they are respected. 6.1: Establish clear standards, processes, and expectations for staff and faculty with respect to EDI, Indigenization, and decolonization, and create safe and inclusive learning and working environments for all.6.2: Benchmark and monitor campus climates on an ongoing basis.6.3: Create experiences, environments, and dedicated resources that enable and support the belonging, inclusion, and full participation of all community members. 6.4: Develop a strategy on gender-based and sexual violence prevention and response that prioritizes the safety of all community members, and which ensures access to supports for those impacted by violence.6.5: Develop an accessibility strategy as the University works towards full compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).6.6: Ensure that the University has a clear and accessible human rights policy and reporting mechanisms, accompanied by culturally-sensitive supports and services.6.7: Create an employment equity policy and an accompanying inclusive hiring strategy to support the recruitment, onboarding, promotion, and retention of diverse faculty and staff.6.8: Mandate ongoing EDI and employment equity training for all community members involved in recruitment, screening, and hiring processes and/or committees.6.9: Ensure that Indigenous and EDI Quality Assurance Standards are integrated into all job descriptions and performance evaluation mechanisms across the University.

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 21Defining Our Terms ABORIGINAL PEOPLESThe Canadian Constitution Act, 1982, Section 35 (2) recognizes 3 groups of Aboriginal Peoples: Indians (more commonly referred to as First Nations), Inuit and Métis. These are 3 distinct Peoples with unique histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. Stemming from Canadian government policy and practice, this term was/is often used in public sector institutions. Ab comes from the Latin prefix ‘from the original’. The word comes from the Latin word Aborigine, and translates to ‘from the conception/since the beginning’. The term was used predominantly in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. ACCESSIBILITY The proactive process of designing physical, financial, social, and administrative structures that foster, create, and maintain a barrier-free environment, promoting equitable and full participation of all individuals, particularly persons with disabilities, in the community.ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (AODA)Ontario provincial legislation which mandates the accessibility standards that organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors must follow to make an accessible province.ACCOUNTABILITYThe responsibility for advancing the University’s commitment to Indigenization and EDI. ANISHINAABE OR ANISHINAABEGAnishinaabe or Anishinaabeg (plural) translates to original peoples in Anishinaabemowin. The Anishinaabeg are the Original Peoples of Bawating (Sault Saint Marie), where Algoma University’s main campus resides. The Anishinaabeg span a large geographic region from the Great Lakes, to northern regions of what is now Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and to the Plains as well as residing in other urban and rural parts of Turtle Island. These various communities are now known as Ojibway, Ojibwe, Chippewa, Ojibway, Salteaux, Mississauga, Nipissing, Potawatomi, and Odawa (and others) as they describe themselves. ANTI-RACISM“The practice of identifying, challenging, and changing the values, structures and behaviours that perpetuate systemic rac-ism” (Ontario Anti-Racism Secretariat). This concept involves taking proactive measures to combat racial inequity. It stands apart from other approaches, such as those focusing on multiculturalism or diversity because it not only acknowledges the existence of systemic racism but also actively confronts the unequal power dynamic between groups and the structures that maintain them.CHIEF SHINGWAUK’S VISIONChief Shingwauk envisioned a teaching wigwam where Anishinaabe and settler communities could come together to learn from and with each other. At the core of this vision is the Kinoomaage Gamig (Teaching Wigwam) and a concern for the survival and well-being of the Anishinaabe Nation. Algoma University honours this vision through its partnership with Shin-gwauk Kinoomaage Gamig and the Shingwauk Education Trust.CRITICAL INTERSECTIONALITYA way of making visible the complexity of identity, taking into account privilege as it intersects with race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, class, caste, nationality, and other axes of identity. These axes of identity do not exist in isolation, but intersect, often creating a complex and cumulative convergence of oppression (Crenshaw 1989). Taking a critical intersectional approach to EDI work helps to avoid conflating and/or ignoring intragroup differences and challenges standardized approaches to undo experiences and systems of persistent social inequality. CROSS-CULTURAL LEARNINGBuilding from the vision of Chief Shingwauk and fulfilling our Special Mission, Algoma defines cross-cultural learning as a

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy22reciprocal exchange of knowledge and learning between local and global Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities Cross-cultural learning involves learning with and from each other while honouring our special relationships with First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples across Turtle Island.DECOLONIZATIONThe process of undoing colonization. Doing so requires understanding the colonial histories of education and research, which have been used to systemically disempower and disenfranchise Indigenous and racialized peoples. Decoloniza-tion is not a metaphor (Tuck and Yang 2010); it is a sustained, intentional, and ongoing course of action that includes honouring relationships and the land, dismantling unequal power dynamics, and unlearning and decentering Eurocentric ways of knowing, learning, teaching, and learning. It requires replacing colonial standards with systems that honour all knowledges, perspectives, traditions, and Peoples, and integrating diverse and intercultural ways of knowing, learning, and being into our curricular, pedagogical, and governance practices. DISABILITYDisability is an umbrella term covering a broad range of condi-tions and may involve impairments, activity limitations, and/or participation restrictions. A disability may be physical, develop-mental, mental (including mental health conditions), learning, and/or environmental. Disability is a complex phenomenon that reflects how a person’s body and mind interact with the society in which they live. Disabilities can occur at any time in a person’s life; some people may be born with a disability while others may develop one later in life. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or episodic; likewise, they can worsen, improve, or remain the same over time. Disabilities may be the cause and/or the result of disease, illness, injury, or substance abuse. DISCRIMINATIONAn intentional or unintentional action or practice that has an effect of creating burdens, disadvantage, loss of opportunity, etc. at the individual or systemic level for certain groups based on characteristics protected under human rights legislation. DIVERSITYRefers to both visible and invisible aspects which include differences in worldviews, ways of knowing and being, theoreti-cal and methodological variations and disciplines as shaped by diverse voices, bodies, and experiences. To achieve representa-tional diversity, AU commits to developing proactive measures to correct systemic disadvantage, and to create equitable opportunity structures and pathways for a critical mass of those who are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented. EQUITYIs a principle, condition, and outcome rooted in human rights and the inviolability of human dignity. It goes beyond equality, examining questions of power and resource allocation, founded on principles of accessibility and intersectionality. Equity is about understanding and accommodating differenc-es and providing people with what they need to enter and thrive within the academy. Equity requires proactively identifying and combating discriminatory ideas, attitudes, and behaviours, as well as systems, policies, processes, and practices that lead to disadvantage. It is concerned with a legal and ethical commit-ment to doing what is right and necessary to achieve such a state through proactive measures to identify root causes, and design interventions to remove obstacles to fair opportunities and experiences in all spheres of academic life.EQUITY-DESERVING GROUPEquity-deserving groups are communities that experience significant collective and systemic barriers in participating in society. This could include attitudinal, historic, social and environmental barriers based on age, ethnicity, disability, economic status, gender, nationality, race, sexual orientation and gender identity, etc.GENDER AND SEXGender and sex are often conflated when in fact they are separate. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviour, expressions, identities, and performances of masculinity, femininity, non-binary, or gender nonconformity. Sex refers to a set of biological attributes in humans and animals and is primarily associated with physical and physiological features including primary and secondary sex characteristics.

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2023–2028 | ALGOMA UNIVERSITY 23Sex is usually categorized as female or male, but there is variation in the biological attributes that comprise sex and how those attributes are expressed.GENDER-BASED AND SEXUAL VIOLENCEA continuum of sexual or other acts targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity or gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened, or attempted against a person without their consent.HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIAFear or discrimination against an individual or a group based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression diverging from heterosexual and cisgender norms.INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCEA framework which embraces and promotes the enriching contributions that come from the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, ways of knowing, ideas, experiences and repre-sentations. Equity, inclusion and a sense of sense of belonging are core prerequisites for achieving this. INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SYSTEMThe TRC defines the Indian residential school system as “a systematic, government-sponsored attempt to destroy Aboriginal cultures and languages and to assimilate Aboriginal peoples so that they no longer existed as distinct peoples” (TRC 2015, 153). This has been recognized to be an act of cultural genocide.INDIGENOUS PEOPLESAccording to the The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indige-nous Peoples, there “are over 476 million Indigenous people living in 90 countries across the world, accounting for 6.2 percent of the global population. Of those, there are more than 5,000 distinct groups”. The United Nations states that “Indigenous Peoples have in common a historical continuity with a given region prior to colonization and a strong link to their lands. They maintain, at least in part, distinct social, economic and political systems. They have distinct languages, cultures, beliefs and knowledge systems. They are determined to maintain and develop their identity and distinct institutions and they form a non-dominant sector of society”. Considering the diversity of Indigenous Peoples, an official definition of “Indigenous” has not been adopted by any UN-system body. Instead the system has developed a modern understanding of this term based on the following: self- identi-fication as Indigenous Peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community as their member; historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies; strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources; distinct social, economic or political systems; distinct language, culture and beliefs; form non-dominant groups of society; resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities.The term Indigenous comes from the Latin word indigena, which means from the land; native (to certain geographic areas). For some, using “Indigenous” over “Aboriginal” reinforc-es land claims and encourages territory acknowledgements. This connects Indigenous Peoples to their land and respects their inherent land rights. OPPRESSIONA system that maintains advantages and disadvantages based on social group memberships, and operates, intentionally and unintentional, at the individual, institutional, and cultural levels.POWERAbility to act on beliefs in meaningful ways that have an impact on people. The authority (granted through social structures and conventions, possibly supported by force or the threat of force) and access to means of communications and resources. PRIVILEGEUnearned access to resources (social power) only readily available to some individuals as a result of their social group.

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ALGOMA UNIVERSITY | Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy24RACISMIdeology that either directly or indirectly asserts that one group is inherently superior to others based on race, as defined by The Ontario Human Rights Code. Racism can be openly displayed in racial jokes and slurs or hate crimes, but it can be more deeply rooted in attitudes, values and stereotypical beliefs. In some cases, these are unconsciously held and have become deeply embedded in systems and institutions that have evolved over time. Racism operates at a number of levels, including individual, systemic and societal.RECONCILIATIONReconciliation refers to an ongoing, Indigenous-centric and led process of establishing and maintaining respectful relation-ships. In the context of higher education, this process includes altering the university’s structure in the context of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) Calls to Action. SCARBOROUGH CHARTER ON ANTI-BLACK RACISM AND BLACK INCLUSION IN HIGHER EDUCATIONThe Scarborough Charter is a commitment by institutions across Canada, including Algoma University, to combat anti-Black racism and foster Black inclusion, flourishing, and excellence in higher education. SEVEN GRANDFATHER TEACHINGSIn Anishinaabek tradition, the Seven Grandfather Teachings, as elaborated by Benton-Banai in 1988, were given by the Creator as a responsibility to watch over their people. These Indigenous Teachings include: Nibwaakaawin—Wisdom; Zaagi’idiwin—Love; Minaadendamowin—Respect; Aakode’ewin—Bravery; Gwayakwaadiziwin—Honesty; Dabaadendiziwin—Humility; and Debwewin—Truth.SPECIAL MISSIONAs a teaching-focused institution, Algoma University’s Special Mission is to focus on “provid[ing] programs in liberal arts and sciences and professional programs, primarily at the under-graduate level, with a particular focus on the needs of Northern Ontario” as well as “cultivat[ing] cross-cultural learning be-tween Aboriginal communities and other communities, in keeping with the history of Algoma University College and its geographic site” (Algoma University Act, 2008).UNCONSCIOUS BIASAccording to the Tri-Council, “unconscious bias is an implicit attitude, stereotype, motivation, or assumption that can occur without one’s knowledge, control, or intention. Unconscious bias is a result of one’s life experiences and affects all types of people. Everyone carries implicit or unconscious biases. Examples of unconscious bias include gender bias, cultural bias, race/ethnicity bias, age bias, language bias, and institu-tional bias. Decisions made based on unconscious bias can compound over time, to significantly impact the lives and opportunities of others affected by the decisions one makes” (“Best Practices in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research”, n.d.).WOMENRefers to people who self-identify as women, regardless of their sex assigned at birth.2SLGBTQQIPA+Is an acronym for Two-Spirit (2S), lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gender, and queer, questioning, intersex, pansexual, and agender and/or asexual, with the “+” representing the diversity of ways people choose to self-identify their gender identity and sexual orientation. The placement of Two-Spirit (2S) first is to recognize that Indigenous people are the first peoples of this land and their understanding of gender and sexuality precedes colonization.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy 2023 - 2028

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