Dr. Dawn Sutherland, Associate Dean at FGS
Dr. Dawn Sutherland Appointed Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Lead in the Faculty of Graduate Studies
The Faculty of Graduate Studies recently developed a new lead role that will aim to support units in their efforts to foster EDI & A within their departments. This also opens to opportunity for units to be aware of initiatives happening at FGS and allow the FGS community to understand what is happening in other units and external to the university.
We sat down with Dr. Dawn Sutherland to ask her about her new role as Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) in FGS.
Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to pursue this role that focuses on equity diversity inclusion and accessibility.
In 1987 I was hired as a Lecturer for the University of Manitoba Access Program. It was my position at Access that really helped me understand my responsibility as an ally when championing equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in public and post-secondary education. During my time with the Access program, I learned first-hand the barriers and struggles non-traditional students, Indigenous students and faculty faced in the institution and used my position as a faculty member and student advisor to inform and support change. I am very proud of my involvement in the first eight years on the University of Manitoba Graduation Pow-Wow committee where I was able to support an Indigenous, student-led initiative. My experiences at Access led to my interest in experience of Indigenous students when pursuing careers in the sciences and led me to complete a PhD on the systemic and cultural barriers endemic in schools for Indigenous youth to access science. My work since the completion of my PhD has focussed on creating a cultural space in science education in the public school system that increases the access to science for all students.
I am very excited about taking on the equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility portfolio in graduate education because it fits with many of the activities in which I am already engaged. I am looking forward to supporting and working with the Office of Equity Transformation, the Graduate Student Association as well as all the graduate programs to create a place where we all feel like we belong.
What is your vision or hope for this role within the faculty ?
I see my role as one of encouraging the conversation on what equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility looks like within each graduate program at the university. This means providing supports to graduates chairs on how to have conversations with their units on issues related to EDIA, providing units with information on how other units are addressing EDIA in their graduate programs, seeking advice from individuals involved in EDIA initiatives across campus and the community to provide a multitudes of perspectives on how to address EDIA in graduate programs, inviting speakers to the university that have experience specifically in equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in graduate programs and support programs that are looking to change policy and regulations in their graduate program to better support a diverse student population.
What goals do you hope to achieve both long and short term?
One goal as the EDIA lead is to provide the resources and supports for units to have conversations about how their graduate programs currently address equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. This was initiated with the release of a reflective conversational guide to all admission committees to ignite a discussion the admission process within their units. In addition, I was involved in the development of the Micro-certificate in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility which is another opportunity where leaders in graduate programs, such as Associate Deans and Graduate Chairs and administrators can learn and explore EDIA topics in their own units. Another goal is to identify the admission processes at the university that were already attempting to address EDIA within their units and share these best practices with other units. This presentation was offered in the Spring of 2024 and the recorded version is available on the graduate studies website. The next step is to invite experts onto the University of Manitoba campus to offer their expertise. In the Spring of 2025, Dr. Julie Posselt will be here as the President’s Distinguished Lecturer Award recipient. She is the first of these experts and she will give two talks the first EDIA and Graduate School admission policies in general and the second is on Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine Graduate Programs and EDIA. Prior to Dr. Posselt’s visit units will be provided with resources and encouraged to engage in conversations about these issues.
What do you see as challenges facing the faculty and the university in terms of diversity and inclusion, and your approach to address the challengers ?
One challenge is that there are many different perspectives out there on what EDIA means and looks like in a post-secondary setting. My approach is to provide opportunities for dialogue so units can make informed decisions that best suits their context. EDIA does not have a one size fits all solution. Change takes time and there are many perspectives on what equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility means. The way to move forward is through constant dialogue and sharing our best practices.
What are your hopes to collaborate with other departments or external organizations ?
There are so many leaders in equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in our UM community and Manitoba. I hope that we can all work together to address the systemic inequities and remove barriers so everyone in the UM community can feel like they belong. With the publication of MomentumUM I feel a renewed sense of hope that we can work together to create a welcoming and supportive environment for our graduate students. I know there are many units currently working through their own strategic plan. It is my hope that units will look to address inequities within their graduate programs during this process and FGS can support these conversations.
Dr. Kelley Main, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate studies shared ‘The appointment of an EDIA Lead with specific responsibilities underscores FGS’s dedication to promoting meaningful impact within FGS. With Dr. Sutherland’s leadership in this role, the faculty looks forward to ensuring that all voices are heard and respected. Through collaboration and conversation, we can further nurture an environment that celebrates equality, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility.’