Camosun's Diversity Committee
A Spirit of Respect
Celebrate the diversity of our community
Camosun's Diversity Committee brings together members of Camosun's community for continuing dialogue and planning aimed at placing the College as a community that celebrates diversity, to ensure students and employees feel welcomed and valued. Diversity Terms of Reference (pdf)
Diversity resources and links
Diversity @ Camosun
To help Camosun better understand how well we embrace all aspects of diversity on our campuses in order to develop strategies to make us ever more welcoming for students and staff, the committee created a survey. The purposes of the survey were:
- to provide benchmark data on diversity issues at Camosun College
- to guide the committee’s work and help it set priorities
The response was strong with 476 respondents, including good representation from students and staff. The results will be used to guide the committees planning and activities over the coming year, supporting the continued enhancement of our College as an exceptionally welcoming institution, celebrating diversity in our classrooms, on our campuses and in our workspaces.
Executive Summary
A web survey format was chosen to minimize costs and to maximize the response rate of the survey by making it easily available to as many people as possible in the Camosun community. The web survey received responses from January 11 to February 9, 2008. The respondents included students (32%), staff (38%), faculty (23%), and administrators (8%).
- There was widespread agreement that diversity is valued at Camosun College (77%), that Camosun is a welcoming place for all students (82%), and that Camosun is a welcoming place for all employees (74%).
- Most respondents (71%) believed that their contribution was valued regardless of their age, and 30% felt that others viewed them differently because of their age. Less than forty percent (38%) of respondents were conscious of their age in their dealings with others at the college, and 18% had seen other people treated poorly because of their age.
- Three-quarters of respondents (76%) believed that their contribution was valued regardless of their ethnic heritage or culture, and 18% felt that others viewed them differently because of their ethnic heritage or culture. More than a quarter (27%) of respondents were conscious of their ethnic heritage or culture in their dealings with others at the college, and 18% had seen other people treated poorly at Camosun because of their ethnic heritage or culture.
- More than three-quarters of respondents (79%) believed that their contribution was valued regardless of their gender, and 20% felt that others viewed them differently because of their gender. Less than thirty percent (29%) of respondents were conscious of their gender in their dealings with others at the college, and 18% had seen other people treated poorly at Camosun because of their gender.
- Over half (55%) of respondents believed that their contribution was valued regardless of their disability, and 20% felt that others viewed them differently because of their disability. A third (33%) of respondents were conscious of their disability in their dealings with others at the college, and 14% had seen other people treated poorly at Camosun because of their disability.
- Three-quarters (75%) of respondents believed that their contribution was valued regardless of their sexual orientation, and 8% felt that others viewed them differently because of their sexual orientation. About one in five (18%) respondents were conscious of their sexual orientation in their dealings with others at the college, and 9% had seen other people treated poorly at Camosun because of their sexual orientation.
- Three-quarters (76%) of respondents believed that their contribution was valued regardless of their religious beliefs, and 13% felt that others viewed them differently because of their religious beliefs. A quarter (26%) of respondents were conscious of their religious beliefs in their dealings with others at the college, and 9% had seen other people treated poorly at Camosun because of their religious beliefs.
Contact
John Boraas
Chair, Diversity Committee
250–
370–3297
boraas@camosun.ca