20 (d)(i)
(2015-04)
Memorandum
re: Equity Award 2015
Date:
March 30, 2015
To:
CAUT Council
From:
Jacqueline Holler, Co-Chair
Audrey Kobayashi, Co-Chair
The Equity Award was established in 2010 to recognize post-secondary academic staff who have
demonstrated an outstanding commitment to challenging exclusionary behaviours and practices
including racism, homophobia, ableism, and sexism and by so doing have made post-secondary
education in Canada more inclusive. The CAUT Equity Committee is pleased to unanimously
recommend that the 2015 Equity award be given to Dr. Malinda Smith from the University of
Alberta.
Dr. Smith is a prominent leader and tireless researcher and advocate in Equity-related work. She
has been involved in numerous anti-racism initiatives ranging from organizing conferences and
workshops to Co-founding the Anti-Racism and Decolonization Network as well as the Equity
Matters blog. She has served on a number of committees at the national level, for example as
member of the Equity and Diversity Council at CAUT and Vice President, Equity Issues and Chair of
Equity Issues Steering Committee, Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
She has served on provincial committees, for example as a Board Member on the Northern Alberta
Alliance on Race Relations and as a Consultant in the Public Service Commission of Canada
(Employment Equity) and at the city of Edmonton (Senior Management Training Program on
Diversity).
Her equity and anti-oppression work at the university level is extensive and reaches back to the
mid-1980s. At University of Alberta, Dr. Smith co-initiated the Michaëlle Jean endowed Chair in
Canadian African and Caribbean Diasporic Studies, Faculty of Arts, was the coordinator of the
Globalization & Governance Certificate and has provided important guidance on equity in her role
on a number of admission committees, curricula review committees and graduate committees.
Dr. Smith’s extensive publication record reflects her knowledge, dedication and expertise in critical
race, equity, diversity and inclusion. Her publications demonstrate how her expertise and influence
Jacqueline Holler / CO-CHAIR / CO-PRÉSIDENTE // UNBC
Jean Becker // Wilfrid Laurier
Nola Etkin // UPEI
Judy Haiven // Saint Mary’s
Ken Ko // Queen’s
Françoise Naudillon // Concordia
Audrey Kobayashi / CO-CHAIR / CO-PRÉSIDENTE // Queen’s
Cathy Chovaz // King’s University College
Rainey Gaywish // Manitoba
Nancy Hansen // Manitoba
Brenda LeFrançois // Memorial
Kathryn Payne // George Brown College
MEMORANDUM RE EQUITY AWARD 2015
MARCH 30, 2015
travels beyond Alberta and Canada and into international terrain. She is sought after as a keynote
speaker on issues of Equity and anti-racism.
Dr. Smith stands out as someone who not only understands the importance of equity and work, but
also helps others to build their understanding of this work. She supports her colleagues through
concrete actions on committees, in her writing, and generously offering her expertise. She
motivates many of us with her innovative approaches, integrity, ideas, and her seemingly unlimited
supply of energy to realize her many visions for a more equitable and inclusive future in the
academy and the community.
CAUT’s Equity Committee is very pleased to recommend Dr. Malinda Smith for CAUT’s Equity
Award 2015.
CAUT EQUITY COMMITTEE
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