Know Your Rights: Harassment & Discrimination

The RWLEP projects all OCAD U Students, employees, volunteers, visitors, and contractors at OCAD U.

Discrimination happens when a person experiences negative treatment or impact, intentional or not, based on prohibited grounds. These prohibited grounds are listed in the Human Rights Code and include but are not limited to race, ethnicity, ancestry, creed, citizenship, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital and family status, place of origin, and gender identity and expression. 

Discrimination can be direct and obvious or subtle and hidden, but harmful just the same. It can also happen on a bigger systemic level such as organizational rules or policies that look neutral but end up excluding certain groups of people. It can also lead to a poisoned environment (when comments or actions make you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable where you work or go to school).

Harassment means engaging in a course of comment or conduct that insults, demeans, harms or threatens a person in some way based on prohibited grounds. Harassment may consist of a single incident of a serious nature or a series of incidents.

Contact ODESI
At any time, you can contact the Office of Diversity, Equity & Sustainability Initiatives (ODESI) to confidentially ask a question, raise a concern or seek assistance on how to address an issue. Meetings can also be arranged off-campus if you prefer.

Raise the concern
If it's feasible, you can speak to the individual(s) involved on your own

Get assistance
Students can consult with any faculty, staff member or their Student Advocate at the Student Union. Meeting with the Student Advocate is a safe place to talk through and seek support in resolving problems.

Employees can consult with any OCAD U supervisor they feel comfortable working with to resolve the matter. Employees can also contact their union (OCADFA or OPSEU) at any time for guidance and assistance.

Mediation
Where appropriate, ODESI can help you access a mediator. A mediator helps parties to clarify issues, understand each other’s perspective and move towards a mutual agreement.

File a formal complaint
You can contact ODESI to file a formal complaint. This may involve a review by an external fact-finder and result in remedies to address the concern.