Search for Director, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response and Anti-Oppression Program

McMaster’s Sexual Violence Policy outlines the responsibilities of the Director in relation to sexual violence prevention and response, and the Discrimination and Harassment Policy sets out the commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive campus environment, which the anti-oppression education program actively works to promote.

See the organizational chart which situates the Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office (SVPRO) within the Equity and Inclusion Office (EIO).

Who are the members of the Search Committee? 

How has the SVPRO expanded and the Directorship evolved?

The Consultant who is currently acting in the role of Director was seconded from Student Affairs on a temporary basis and continues to report to the Associate Vice-Provost Students & Learning & Dean of Students. As a registered social worker with over 25 years of SVPR experience in community and higher education, the secondment was timely – it began in May of 2019 soon after the resignation of the Sexual Violence Response Coordinator (who took up a position at the University of Waterloo). This enabled the EIO to ensure the university could provide a seamless transition and no gap in service delivery and support to survivors. The Consultant has played a leadership to establish and expand the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office, which has been a part of the EIO’s strategic priorities since 2018. The secondment will conclude in August.

With respect to the SVPRO expansion and the functions of the new Directorship. In the Equity and Inclusion Office organizational chart, you will see that the Director – with their intersectional anti-oppressive, trauma-informed lens and deep understanding of human rights, harassment, and discrimination legislation – will now oversee the Sexual Violence Prevention Education as well as Anti-Oppression Education programs. Their new title is Director, SVPRO & AOP reflecting this scope. The Director must still be a Sexual Violence specialist and will continue to be the point person to facilitate the university’s sexual violence response: disclosure support, complaint intake, safety planning, case management, etc. The role of the Director is codified in the Sexual Violence Policy, and they work closely with the leads of the four other Intake Offices: Director of the Human Rights & Dispute Resolution, Executive Director of Employee and Labour Relations, Director of Student Accessibility and Case Management, and Advisor in the Faculty of Health Sciences Professionalism Office. The search firm will be creating a job profile, taking content from a detailed job description, and this will be discussed during search committee meetings. The qualities of the incumbent and the profile will be informed by feedback we are obtaining from select campus and community members.

Who was asked to provide feedback to inform the search?

The following is a list of campus and community members consulted about the candidate qualities and the challenges/opportunities for the person/portfolio:

Campus Community:

• SVPR Task Force
• Gender & Sexuality Working Group PACBIC
• PACBIC Planning & Priorities Steering Committee
• EIO staff team
• Sexual Violence and Discrimination/Harassment Response Team
• Policy Decision-Makers
• Associate/Assistant Deans Groups
• Student Affairs Management Team
• Director of Security Service
• University Legal Counsel
• University Ombudsperson
• Social Work, Sociology, Gender Studies, Indigenous Studies, Health & Aging, Arts & Science
• MUFA Executive
• Department Chairs

Local Community:

• Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion
• Hamilton Women Abuse Working Group (WAWG)

Read more at Daily News.