As part of the Biology Department’s commitment to providing an environment that fosters equal rights and opportunities for all, in an environment of mutual respect and dignity, we established a committee to promote Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDII) Committee in 2016.  

In 2022/23, this committee was renamed the Indigenization - Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Antiracism (I-EDIAA, Biology) Committee and adopted a formal terms of reference. 

Current Committee Members: Shelley Arnott (Chair), Amrit Binning, Fran Bonier, Ian Chin-Sang, Darlene Davis, Jenna Edwards, Sam Gene, Maria Jose Gomez Quijano, and Sarah Yakimowski

The goals of the I-EDIAA committee are to:

  1. promote, recognize, and act as a liaison on issues of EDII within the Biology Department;
  2. liaison with all of our major committees to integrate EDII principles in all areas of departmental operations;
  3. provide educational opportunities on EDII, so that we all can learn; and
  4. assess our progress on how we are doing, and how we can continue to improve.

Awards - The I-EDIAA Committee is responsible for recognizing individuals in the department for contributions for i) advancing I-EDIAA in the department (EDII Champion Award), ii) exceptional volunteerism by students in the Department of Biology, both graduate and undergraduate (Outstanding Student Volunteer Award).   

Please feel free to reach out to any member of this committee if you have questions, issues or just need someone to listen and refer you to a knowledgeable person at Queen’s (links below).

Safe and Accountable Space

The Queen’s Biology Department is committed to providing safe and inclusive environments. To quote Principal Dean: "Our campus must be a place where all can feel safe, even when challenged in debate and discussion. For this to occur, we must respect and support one another. Our institution’s mission is academic, not directly political, and it is critical that we maintain a climate in which ideas can be explored freely. If we depart from the tenets of academic freedom—including free inquiry, debate, public discourse and free speech—we compromise our mission and effectiveness as an institution. In the exercise of these freedoms there is, of course, a balance to be achieved. Disagreement should not develop into personal attacks. It should never give rise to fear or worse, violence." 

As a student you should read and adhere to the Queen's Student Code of Conduct. All members of the department should be familiar with and follow the Biology Code of Conduct (infographic below). 

Biology Code of Conduct

Reporting Harassment and Discrimination 

Queen’s will do everything it can to protect and support our students, faculty and staff.  Harassment, discrimination and violence will not be tolerated.

If you are aware of harassment or discrimination on campus please refer to the reporting procedure and/or reach out to the HREO for advice. If you are facing a life-threatening emergency, please dial 911. For emergency responses on campus that are not life threatening, please contact Queen’s security.
 

Policies, Services, and Resources related to EDII

Policies

  • Diversity and Inclusivity Policy Index: policies relating to issues of diversity and inclusivity at Queen’s.
  • The “Harassment and Discrimination” policy, complaint, and reporting procedure falls under the University Secretariat and Legal Counsel and provides information on the policy, complaint and reporting procedures if you want to make or report an incident of discrimination, harassment or reprisal.

Services

Resources

On Campus Support and Guidance

Off Campus

Biology Code of Conduct (72.45 KB)