McMaster appoints new director of Human Rights and Dispute Resolution

McMaster has appointed Pilar Michaud as Director, Human Rights and Dispute Resolution in the Equity & Inclusion Office.

In the position, Michaud is accountable for overseeing and facilitating the resolution of concerns and complaints and the investigation of formal complaints, related to issues of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Michaud has been at McMaster since 2012, and most recently held the position of Senior Human Rights Officer with the Human Rights and Equity Services office (now Equity and Inclusion).

In addition to her experience at McMaster, Michaud is a lawyer by training, and brings years of experience as a leader of teams responsible for investigations and employee and labour relations.

“I know these many years of experience, combined with my deep understanding of the McMaster community, will help me immensely in my new role,” says Michaud.

McMaster’s Equity and Inclusion Office works with campus and community partners to ensure McMaster is a place where all students, staff and faculty are treated equitably and respectfully in all areas of campus life.

“We are one of three Intake Offices on campus where community members can consult on matters relating to discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual violence,” says Michaud. “My job is to ensure we manage complaints in a consistent and fair manner, balancing the needs of all involved, with the goal of resolving issues at the earliest possible stage.”

The Equity and Inclusion Office also provides educational opportunities related to harassment, discrimination, accessibility and other human rights-related issues, consultation and advice on barriers to accessibility and oversees the Sexual Violence Response Protocol.

The office will soon be led by a new Vice-Provost (Equity and Inclusion), who will report to the Provost.

The Vice-Provost will supervise the work of the Equity & Inclusion Office and will lead efforts to ensure that policies linked to harassment, discrimination and sexual violence meet the needs of the community and the expectations of government. They will also help to guide the work of the President’s Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC) and the McMaster Accessibility Council (MAC).

A search committee has been struck to manage this process.