Everyone at Durham College (DC) should feel safe to show up on campus as their authentic selves in a way that does not impede the rights of others, says Dr. Sadie Goddard-Durant, Director of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI).

To support this vision, the OEDI team is dedicated to cultivating an enduring sense of belonging for all members of the DC community through education, consultations, individualized support, and service navigation.

“At DC, fostering a culture of equity and inclusion is not just an initiative—it has to be an ongoing personal commitment by all of us to ensure every individual feels valued, heard, and empowered to thrive.  Our role in OEDI is to equip each individual to do this in their sphere of influence,” says Goddard-Durant.

The OEDI’s work is rooted in an understanding that people want to do the right thing when they have the right tools and knowledge. “I start from the position that people are inherently good. People inherently want to do the right thing. But if you haven’t learned how to recognize and challenge your own power, privilege and biases, or learned about the impact of this on other people’s daily lives, or learned how to make everyday decisions that resist stereotypes, and instead include and foster access, then you can’t,” she explains.

For DC employees, this means providing training, education, and consultation to help staff support students and each other to foster inclusivity in classrooms and departments. “Where department leaders want to have an EDI lens in enhancing or developing policy or programs or processes, we offer that as well,” says Goddard-Durant.

Education extends campus-wide through initiatives that recognize significant occasions like Black History Month, International Women’s Day, and various religious and cultural holidays. On International Human Rights Day, for example, the EDI Office hosts a workshop for the entire campus on becoming allies for upholding everyone’s human rights.

“By recognizing these days of awareness, we bring visibility to the contributions, cultural and religious beliefs, practices of and challenges faced by these equity-deserving groups in a way that increases our collective knowledge about each other,” says Goddard-Durant.

The team also collaborates with community organizations to help prospective students from equity-deserving communities overcome barriers to accessing post-secondary education and set themselves up for success.

“The evidence is clear that dismantling structural oppression in education requires institutions changing the policies and procedures which create those conditions. It also involves transferring power to affected persons so they have the skills and confidence needed to access the supports they need and deserve. In this way, they can maximize on the potential a post-secondary education can offer. This is the framework guiding this program,” says Goddard-Durant.

Support for Those Who Need It Most

At the heart of the OEDI’s work is providing a safe space for conversations about oppression.

“If a student believes they’ve experienced harassment, discrimination, hate, racism, or some form of oppression, they can come to our office. “We support them by listening to what their experience has been, and determining what resolution can entail,” explains Goddard-Durant.

The OEDI helps students determine if an incident meets the criteria for a violation of DC’s harassment, misconduct, and discrimination policy, guided by the Ontario Human Rights Code. If it does, from there the OEDI outlines reporting options, ranging from mediation to formal external investigations, and connects them to on- and off-campus resources to address the impact of their experiences.

For those experiencing sexual violence, a dedicated Sexual Violence Education and Prevention Coordinator enhances the team’s ability to provide specialized support. They help students to access on- and off-campus resources to facilitate healing from the experience, understand their reporting options, and obtain academic accommodations.

Beyond these supports, the EDI team also offers support with designing accommodations based on family status and creed, based on the criteria articulated in the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Creating Inclusive Spaces

Ensuring everyone feels welcome on campus involves creating inclusive spaces, says Goddard-Durant. Recent projects include revamping the Multi-Faith and Quiet Space and increasing access to gender-neutral washrooms at both campuses. These developments are always done in collaboration with the community.

Whether it’s creating spaces to make the community feel safe, taking the time to raise awareness about how they live culturally, or speaking up about challenges they face, every action is taken in consultation with equity-deserving groups. 

“We can’t do anything for a community without that community,” says Goddard-Durant. “They know best what they need. Sitting in an office and deciding what works for them would just perpetuate the oppression we’re trying to dismantle.”

Through ongoing collaboration, education, consultations, and tailored supports, DC’s EDI Office is aiming to help build a community where every member knows they belong.