Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
Windsor Law brings talented individuals from diverse backgrounds into a supportive environment so that they can expand each other’s horizons. supplied
Holistic approach underpins law school’s diversity efforts
It’s not by chance that the Law faculty at the University of Windsor in Ontario is one of the most diverse law schools in Canada. A conscious effort over several years has aimed to make the faculty more representative of Canada’s evolving demographic profile.
And with Statistics Canada projecting that approximately one-third of the country’s population will be made up of visible minorities by 2031, the effort will continue, says Reem Bahdi, Dean of Windsor Law.
“A growth in racialized communities in the general population will increase the demand for diverse lawyers who can relate to their clients in a professional and personal manner,” she says. “As the legal profession’s pipeline, law schools share the responsibility of recruiting, retaining and training a diverse workforce.”
“... it is encouraging to see more students from diverse backgrounds, including my own. Diversity of representation in law schools reinforces the possibility of a more just and equal society. ”
Windsor Law introduced a holistic admissions policy in 1978 based on the philosophy that merit and excellence are reflected not only the ability to earn good grades and LSAT scores but also through strength of character, a commitment to community and a commitment to the equal dignity and worth of all individuals.
“Though we have never had identity-based admissions targets, this philosophy has produced a highly diverse student body for decades,” says Dean Bahdi.
This year, 53 per cent of Windsor Law students are racialized, 64 per cent are women and 28 per cent are first generation Canadians.
“Windsor Law’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts are a good first step towards making Windsor Law more inclusive, diverse and safe for all individuals,” says Farida Madhosh, vice president of equity and diversity at the Windsor Student Law Society (SLS). “These efforts, such as the SLS VP EDI position and an overall emphasis on EDI in all aspects of the school, ensure that we are representative of the student body and the Windsor Law community at large.”
Dean Bahdi says the school regards EDI as a pathway to excellence.
“It’s important to Windsor Law as a whole because it promotes excellence and supports changes we need to see in the world,” she adds.
Windsor Law’s EDI practices are reflected not only in its admissions process but also in the faculty complement, course offerings, experiential learning opportunities and career development supports.
EDI is also important in the context of Canada’s changing population, adds Dean Bahdi.
“Lawyers must be able to understand others who are different from themselves. We believe that by opening doors to individuals from diverse communities that are underrepresented in legal practice and legal institutions, we nurture the talent of people who have the strength of character and capacity to make the world a better place,” she says.
For Windsor Law, that means bringing together talented individuals from diverse backgrounds into a supportive environment so that they can expand each other’s horizons.
“Our students come from various social and economic walks of life. We encourage them to learn from each other as a way of preparing themselves for leadership and decision-making roles in a diverse society, whether in Canada or around the globe,” says Dean Bahdi.
Windsor Law takes a holistic and multi-pronged approach to advancing EDI
“We work hard to make EDI part of our daily practice,” says Dean Bahdi. “Our commitment to EDI is reflected in our admissions policy, the diversity of our faculty and leadership, commitment to mentoring, curriculum, governance models, and our institutional policies and practices.”
Windsor Law’s EDI philosophy doesn’t end with student admissions. Its faculty is also diverse and meets or surpasses representation standards in the four federal designated groups (Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized people/visible minorities, and women).
Dean Bahdi points out that Windsor Law was the first law school in Canada to hire a Black dean, Juanita Westmoreland-Traoré, who served in the position from 1996 to 1999 when she was appointed a judge in Quebec. And Dean Bahdi herself is the first Palestinian law school dean in North America.
“We believe diversity in leadership helps encourage confidence in students who come from communities that are not well represented in the legal profession,” says Dean Bahdi. “If they see themselves in others, these students can more easily imagine that a career in law is open to them.”
Dean Bahdi adds that when she attended law school there were no professors and hardly any students of Arab background.
“More than 25 years later, it is encouraging to see more students from diverse backgrounds, including my own. Diversity of representation in law schools reinforces the possibility of a more just and equal society,” she says.
EDI is also important to Dean Bahdi personally because it advances what she considers to be an essential guiding principle in life; the belief in the equal dignity and worth of all individuals.
“This is the foundation of a just society, and I believe that a just society is better for all of us,” she says. “My commitment to EDI starts from the observation that society is not always fair and equal to individuals. Opportunities are defined by social positions and social norms. We stereotype individuals, for example, based on how they look, their names or where we think they come from. We might draw inferences about their capacities or their character based on irrelevant characteristics. We also know that law has been used to oppress groups. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, for example, has shown us how Canadian law and legal institutions have oppressed Indigenous Peoples. EDI points our attention to these social and political realities and reminds us of our obligations to do better.”
To view this report on The Globe's website, visit globeandmail.com
To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition: Cybersecurity Awareness Month