Newsletter

April 2002

Linking the Diversity of Peoples’ Sex, Race, etc. With the Diversification of Ideas: Who’s being Racist and Sexist Here?

John Furedy

From University of Toronto
Job Ad for Vice President and Provost

The University of Toronto
is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially
welcomes applications from visible minority group members, women, Aboriginal
persons, persons with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups,
and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

CAUT Bulletin, February, 2002

Diversity
or Conformity?
John Furedy, University of Toronto

Does Jude Tate, co-ordinator,
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer resources and programs, who
has applauded the recent inclusion of “sexual minority groups” in U of
T’s employment equity statement” have any systematic evidence to show that
preferential hiring on the basis of sex, race, and sexual orientation actually
“contribute[s] to the further diversification of ideas” (Employment equity
statement updated to include sexual minorities, Sept. 13)?.

Or does this sort of politically-correct
hiring policy actually increase conformity and hence reduce the diversity
of opinions, by placing the emphasis on what designated group (or groups)
an academic is a member of rather than on the ideas themselves contributed
by that appointee?

Letter
to Editor, published in The Bulletin, University of Toronto, September
24, 2001.