An op-ed written by Charlotte Yates, provost and vice-president (academic), appears today in the Ottawa Citizen. The column discusses the need for Canada to do more to improve the role of women in society, including representation in corporate and public leadership, universities and global decision-making bodies.

The column appears just days before Yates is set to launch a new initiative to further promote equity at U of G.

Under the initiative, which will be unveiled March 20, women faculty, staff and students will be involved in mapping out an action plan, along with goals and strategies for achieving it. A new advisory committee will hold campus-wide discussions to identify challenges, including systemic equity barriers, and opportunities for change.

Preliminary goals include identifying and addressing gender wage gaps and salary anomalies; increasing the proportion of women in senior University leadership positions; improving recognition for women’s research and scholarship; increasing the number of women holding research chairs and positions in non-traditional fields; and new and improved programs promoting leadership and mentorship.