New human rights and equity advisor
/Looking to implicate more inclusive policy changes
On September 8th, it was announced that Megan Fogarty would be filling the position of Human Rights and Equity Advisor at StFX. A position that is not new, but some may be unfamiliar with the role as it has been vacant since the summer of 2016 when former advisor Marie Brunelle left the university.
Since then, the university has been working towards creating a more inclusive campus by trying approaches to receive feedback from the student body. Last school year, an email survey was sent out by the administration regarding the Human Rights and Equity Advisor. This survey was used as feedback for the administration to determine what exactly the student body expects from this advisor. In addition to this survey, a focus group was held by the Students’ Union to discuss equity within the U specifically.
All of the discussion surrounding this issue led to the appointment of a new Human Rights and Equity Advisor for the 2017-2018 school year.
Megan Fogarty graduated from StFX with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Psychology. Since graduating from StFX, she has completed a Master’s degree at Queen’s University in Industrial Relations, and has been employed by Canada Post as their Human Rights and Legislative Programming Officer.
With plenty of experience under her belt, Fogarty is excited to make strides toward a more inclusive campus. Fogarty explains that she would like to play an active role in creating “a culture where equitable practices are promoted and valued.”
When asked what types of services she will be providing in this role, Fogarty states, “currently, I am looking for opportunities to work collaboratively to enhance programs and services as it relates to human rights and equity at X”. She also expresses the importance of helping others in incorporating and developing a human rights and equity lens to their work.
Fogarty intends to work with all members of the community, not just students or staff respectively. She explains her willingness and excitement about working with individuals on campus who are committed to equity work at StFX.
When asked about future workshops or programs that she would like to implement as the Human Rights and Equity Advisor, she states that her number one priority right now is to meet with people on campus to get a feel for their concerns and challenges related to human rights and equity. After having these discussions, she will then have a better feel for what is expected of her in this position.
“I will be spending time looking at how we actually quantify the equity work we are doing at StFX and look at how we can make more inclusive policy changes,” she explains.
Megan Fogarty’s office is currently located on the 4th floor of MacKinnon Hall, in room 541A. The administration encourages anyone who feels as though they are being harassed or discriminated against should contact the Human Rights and Equity Advisor and together they can discuss their concerns and come up with a solution to the problem at hand.
