Human Rights Policy

The Carleton University Human Rights Policies and Procedures policies are available in the following formats:

• Human Rights Policies and Procedures

There are seven parts to the University’s Human Rights Policies and Procedures.

Part I – The Guiding Framework:

The Carleton University Statement of Conduct and Human Rights sets out the following guiding principles of the Policies and Procedures.

• Every member of the University community has a right to study or work in an environment free of discrimination and harassment.
• All members of the University community have a responsibility to support human rights and equality.
• Managers and supervisors in particular must foster an environment respectful of human rights.
• The University must uphold academic freedom and encourage intellectual and scholarly debate.
• Members of the University community may not engage in abusive, violent, threatening or disruptive behaviour.
• The University must protect its members from human rights offences on campus by those who are not members of the University community.
• The University must provide services to assist students, staff and faculty who seek human rights protection.
• The University must provide education on human rights for its members.

Part II – Equity Policies:

The Educational Equity Policy presents the University’s approach to ensuring equity in its educational programs and services.

The Employment Equity Policy outlines Carleton’s commitment to fairness in hiring and employment.

Part III – Policies on Accommodation:

Six policies deal with accommodation to permit study and employment on the basis of human rights.

A Statement on Academic Accommodation serves as a preamble for three policies of academic accommodation that focus on students with disabilities, religious obligation, and the need for parental leave.

The policies dealing with accommodation in employment focuses on disabilities, religious obligation and work reassignment during pregnancy.

Part IV – Discrimination and Harassment:

Four policies deal with discrimination and harassment. The Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations Policy establishes race, ethnicity, and culture as grounds for human rights protection.

The Gender Equity Policy provides protection against sexism. It explains gender and gender identity and grounds for human rights protection.

The Sexual Orientation Equality Policy guarantees protection against the discriminatory treatment of individuals on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation as gays, lesbians or bisexuals.

The Sexual Harassment Policy provides protection against inappropriate and unwelcome sexual conduct.

Part V – Conflict Resolution and Complaints:

• Advice and informal resolution is the first step.
• If a complaint is then filed, a complaint manager assesses its legitimacy before the University acts.
• The complaint manager then informs both parties to a complaint of all charges and evidence.
• Both parties have a right to have someone represent them.
• The University may take interim measures to guarantee safety.
• The parties may jointly request mediation at any point following a request for action.
• The parties receive summaries of each other’s documented claims and arguments.
• The complaint manager decides whether formal investigation is necessary.
• If there is an investigation, an investigator is normally someone from outside the University.
• The parties have a right to reply to the investigator’s report and suggest a remedy or discipline.
• All parties to a complaint must observe strict confidentiality.
• All parties must treat any written material or evidence as strictly confidential.
• In serious cases the University can initiate or continue complaints.

Part VI – Systemic Discrimination:

This section outlines the University’s pledge to change outdated practices which sometimes produce unfair results for groups of people. For example, rigid time limits for completing a degree can result in systemic discrimination against women who take time out to have children. Such time limits can also result in discrimination against students with a disability.

In the same way, job requirements such as “Canadian experience” or a degree or diploma that are not necessary can also create this kind of discrimination.

Part VII – Review – Monitoring, Evaluation and Audit Procedures:

As per Carleton University’s Policy Procedure automatic review of policy every 5 years

Documents Attached to the Policies and Procedures